When I was a police officer I continually found myself dealing with people who were in trouble or causing trouble or both. Dealing with the "dregs" of society wore on me as it does many police officers and ultimately it influenced my attitude toward people and my world view. If that is all you see that is what you know...
Recently, I have discovered and been influenced by a genre of fiction and BLOGS that can be described as apocalyptic with regard to the potential collapse of our country as a result of any number of catastrophes (an EMP, an Economic Collapse, a New Ice Age, or a Coronal Mass Ejection) that might return us to the 18th century. No electricity, no cars, no fuel, no running water, no food, no sanitation, no health care, no law enforcement. Martial Law with UN Troops on US soil , FEMA Camps, roving gangs of looters, people facing starvation, separation from their loved ones and ultimately the death of millions of people for a myriad of reasons.
One motto of the news media is, "if it bleeds it leads" thus, we are constantly hearing about the latest catastrophe from around the corner or around the world. Greece and Spain are in default and chaos, Israel and Iran are staring each other down, our embassies are being attacked, our Congress can't work together, Ben Brenanke and the Fed are printing money and spending us, our children, and grandchildren into economic slavery and worst of all our troops are dying in the middle east in countries that don't like us and obviously don't want us there...
How do you find balance between those who say the world is going to end on December 21st (it's not by the way) and those who throw a hurricane party when a category 5 hurricane (Katrina) is bearing down on them? I have spent countless hours pondering these questions to the point that my wife is beginning to wonder about my sanity (I'm wondering about it as well...).
Here is my opinion about all of this.
First and foremost it is very possible that we are already experiencing an economic collapse. But you say, Greg the stock market is over 13,500 the highest in years, interest rates are low, I just refinanced my home at 3.5%, and I sold some scrap gold and got a bunch of money...
Have you ever had a wreck when things kind of went into slow motion? You could see what was happening but you were powerless to stop it.
Yes the stock market is very high just like it was in 2008 before the most recent crash, before the housing crash and before the great recession that has probably more than 15% of our people out of work.
Yes interest rates are low, so low in fact that many who rely on interest income to survive are not keeping pace with inflation.
Yes gold and silver are doing very well but these precious metals are a hedge against a collapse and many countries and individuals are loading up on gold right now. Why would they do this, particularly if historically it has not been an investment that has provided a good return?
Have you been to the gas station lately? Gas has more than doubled since Obama took office.
Have you shopped for food lately? Food costs have risen significantly and we have yet to feel the effects of this summers drought at the cash register...
Water rates have tripled in some cities as they maintain their crumbling infrastructure.
The Bible states that the borrower is slave to the lender and man are we borrowing! From the Fed to families we borrow on everything. Do you know that our government borrows 40 cents of every dollar they spend? The difference between us and the government is that eventually we run out of money to borrow. The Fed just prints more money. China is bankrolling our lack of fiscal discipline and when they want to get their money or if they stop loaning us money things could get very bad very fast.
So are we already experiencing the economic collapse or should we continue to party like it is 1999?
Monday, October 8, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Water an Essential Resource - Part II
It has been six weeks since we installed two rain barrels. Since that time we have had plenty of rain to keep our barrels resupplied and we have been faithful to use the collected water on our vegetables and flowers. It takes between one and three minutes to fill our watering cans depending on the amount of water in the barrels. I typically water with one can while allowing the other to fill with water, which helps me use my time efficiently.
We have also added a third barrel to collect overflow when we have a good rain. We accomplished this by cutting a 3/4" hole near the top of an original barrel and inserting a PVC pipe to move the water from barrel A to barrel B.
We filled a 4th stand alone barrel by filling it with water from a barrel just prior to a big rain. Thus, we currently have four 55 gallon barrels to capture and store over 200 gallons of water when they are full.
I have noted that using a watering can to water the vegetables gives me the ability to focus on specific plants versus using a sprinkler which waters everything but wastes a some water as well.
We'll have to wait and see if the water bill is significantly less this summer compared to last year and of course, this assumes that we'll continue to have some nice summer rains.
We have also added a third barrel to collect overflow when we have a good rain. We accomplished this by cutting a 3/4" hole near the top of an original barrel and inserting a PVC pipe to move the water from barrel A to barrel B.
We filled a 4th stand alone barrel by filling it with water from a barrel just prior to a big rain. Thus, we currently have four 55 gallon barrels to capture and store over 200 gallons of water when they are full.
I have noted that using a watering can to water the vegetables gives me the ability to focus on specific plants versus using a sprinkler which waters everything but wastes a some water as well.
We'll have to wait and see if the water bill is significantly less this summer compared to last year and of course, this assumes that we'll continue to have some nice summer rains.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Water an Essential Resource
Water is everywhere, it is abundant, assumed to be infinite and absolutely critical to sustain life. It falls to earth as rain, snow, and dew and is provided to most of us via our municipal water supply. To survive FEMA recommends: "You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking." That does not include all the additional, extraneous, and frivolous ways we use water. I spent some time considering how to be a better steward of this life sustaining resource and made some changes in my life. This post will discuss one thing we have done to conserve water, prepare a bit for an "outage" and eventually save some money on our utility bill.
Earlier this month we purchased some 55 gallon plastic food grade barrels. Thus far we have converted two to catch rain water from our gutters. These "rain barrels" collect 55 gallons of water for every half inch of rain that falls. I was very surprised at just how much water came off a small portion of our roof! Here are pictures of the initial purchase and after it was plumbed and painted.
We inverted the barrels, cut a hole in the top, added a screen to keep out debris and mosquitoes, and positioned the gutter to empty right over the hole in the barrel. We have raised the barrels up off the ground and have added a short piece of hose to fill our watering can.
Earlier this month we purchased some 55 gallon plastic food grade barrels. Thus far we have converted two to catch rain water from our gutters. These "rain barrels" collect 55 gallons of water for every half inch of rain that falls. I was very surprised at just how much water came off a small portion of our roof! Here are pictures of the initial purchase and after it was plumbed and painted.
We are primarily using the rain barrels to water our garden. We get " chemical free water" at no charge and don't have to pay a sewage fee on the back end - sorry I couldn't resist the pun. What I have noticed is that by watering with a can instead of the hose is that my watering is much more specific. I am able to water the plants without watering everything else around the plants which wasted water. Depending on the amount of water in the barrel my watering can fills up anywhere from three minutes down to just over one minute when it is at capacity. It currently takes more time to water, but as soon as I purchase a second watering can one can be filling while the other is used for watering. This will reduce my watering time significantly.
If our water supply were ever to be disrupted we have an emergency supply to tide us over for a few days or even longer assuming we still have rain! You may be thinking, "you are not really going to drink "that" water are you?" It would not typically be my first choice, but as a backpacker I have enjoyed filtered water from sources far less "hygienic" than a rain barrel. I would certainly filter, boil or treat the water before drinking it but I would most certainly drink "that" water! Besides in a pinch we can use the water to flush toilets, wash clothes, and shower!
Because we are getting such a bounty from our two rain barrels our next project is to add an additional barrel in series to capture the excess water that we expect to have.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, April 20, 2012
TEOTWAWKI
I remember the first time I saw "TEOTWAWKI". I thought what the heck is that? As I dug a little deeper I began to discover that I needed to wake up and get my act together...
TEOTWAWKI stands for, The End Of The World As We Know It. What the heck does that mean anyway? Let's unpack this a just a bit. First, "The World As We Know It" assumes and enjoys an infinite supply of clean tap water, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and grocery store shelves stocked with food. Thus, "The End" of all that would be characterized by a complete lack, absence, or severe shortages of clean tap water, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and empty grocery store shelves.
We live in a country that follows the rule of law that is supported by law enforcement. TEOTWAWKI would by definition find law enforcement severely hampered or non-existent.
There are numerous events that could cause TEOTWAWKI, and I have no crystal ball to predict what that might be. There is no way to prepare for every possible cause but there are general preparations that each of us can make.
First consider what are likely events that could create a TEOTWAWKI scenario for your specific area and how long would that scenario typically last? The length of time that a hurricane or blizzard brings chaos is very different from an economic problem that closes the banks, an EMP from the sun or enemy that cripples our electric grid, or a dirty bomb that leaves an area uninhabitable for decades.
A hurricane might create a need to leave a "bug out" situation or a "hunker down" and ride it out scenario. To leave you would want to have a reliable vehicle, some fuel in reserve just in case the local tanks are empty, some non-perishable food and water with you, an idea of where you are heading, maps for alternate routes, and some "roughing it" supplies - think camping trip.
If you choose to "hunker down" and ride it out consider some period of time that you might be isolated and without water, natural gas, electricity, gasoline, and grocery store shelves stocked with food. (think Katrina) What will you eat? How will you cook it? Do you have enough water for a week? Do you have any idea of how much water you will need to drink, cook, wash dishes, flush toilets, bathe, etc.? If looters come calling what will you do? Will you roll over and let them take your food, or your car, Rape or murder you or a family member?
Now is the time to prepare not the day the "storm" hits. By this time it's simply too late, the stores will be empty, gas stations will be empty, and the ATM's will be cleaned out or won't work. All of the preceding will accelerate if the power is out - no food, gas, or ATM'S! At least have enough cash on hand to pay $10-$15 a gallon for gasoline to fill your tank and get out of town; 20 gallons @ $15 / gallon = $300, they won't take your credit or debit card!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Debt Ceiling & Deficit Reduction
I have heard the rhetoric, watched as politicians try to blame each other and try even harder to “kick the can” of debt reduction down the road so that others will have to solve the problem. The president is not helping by threatening our seniors with the idea that they may not get their social security payments.
The partisan bickering and posturing continues to come at the expense of the American people and our economic future.
We can’t borrow our way out of debt and thus we must find some combination of reduced spending and increased revenue. A household deals with a debt crisis by cutting the expenses that go beyond the essentials of food, housing, transportation and utilities.
Our government has many programs that, while nice, go far beyond the essentials needed to get our fiscal house in order. We are 14 trillion dollars in debt, about to see our credit rating downgraded, and possibly going to default on our national obligations. We are facing bankruptcy and need to take drastic action involving a radical solution. Stop spending more than we collect and start paying down our national debt!
I’m not looking forward to the hardships that will result from the cuts that need to be made or those that will be forced upon us by continuing to “kick the can” down the road.
Mr. President and Congress do your job, quit worrying about your re-election, stop the partisan bickering, and make the tough decisions to get our fiscal house in order!
The partisan bickering and posturing continues to come at the expense of the American people and our economic future.
We can’t borrow our way out of debt and thus we must find some combination of reduced spending and increased revenue. A household deals with a debt crisis by cutting the expenses that go beyond the essentials of food, housing, transportation and utilities.
Our government has many programs that, while nice, go far beyond the essentials needed to get our fiscal house in order. We are 14 trillion dollars in debt, about to see our credit rating downgraded, and possibly going to default on our national obligations. We are facing bankruptcy and need to take drastic action involving a radical solution. Stop spending more than we collect and start paying down our national debt!
I’m not looking forward to the hardships that will result from the cuts that need to be made or those that will be forced upon us by continuing to “kick the can” down the road.
Mr. President and Congress do your job, quit worrying about your re-election, stop the partisan bickering, and make the tough decisions to get our fiscal house in order!
Monday, June 20, 2011
A Fork in the Road - Stay the Course
We received our answer regarding the new opportunity and the answer was no. I have such a great sense of peace about the answer. Peace because where I work now has the best working environment of any place I have ever worked, my coworkers are great and we all pull together as a team!
Peace because we are not going to lose some wonderful neighbors as well; we have grown very close to them and would miss the "living in community" that we have come to enjoy. Peace because we don't have to sell our home in a very difficult real estate market.
So now we have an answer and all of the plans that were on hold for our home can be tackled!
Tackled, that is, as soon as we return from the beach!
Peace!
Peace because we are not going to lose some wonderful neighbors as well; we have grown very close to them and would miss the "living in community" that we have come to enjoy. Peace because we don't have to sell our home in a very difficult real estate market.
So now we have an answer and all of the plans that were on hold for our home can be tackled!
Tackled, that is, as soon as we return from the beach!
Peace!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A Fork in the Road Part 2
We'll if you read my previous post I inferred that a decision regarding my fork in the road was imminent. Well that has not proven to be accurate! We are still awaiting "the call". Stay tuned...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
A Fork in the Road
Yogi Berra is quoted as saying, "when you come to a fork in the road take it."
Several months ago I was invited to pursue a new opportunity. Part of the opportunity would require selling our home and relocating to a residence provided by my new employer. It would also mean leaving neighbors we have come to love dearly. After carefully considering the pros and cons, and praying we decided to go for it. So today we are at the metaphorical "fork in the road."
There are projects that are in waiting regardless of the fork we take but none of the projects can be addressed until we actually choose the fork. For example, I would like for us to have a home energy audit of our home, this would show us ways to increase our energy savings. I don't want to spend the money on this if we will be selling our home soon. My lovely wife is being very patient about a bathroom remodel. There are a number of projects that are waiting for the choice we make: a drainage project, some rain barrels, some new lights for our garden, a ceiling fan for our patio & a shade to block the afternoon sun.
There are other considerations - what to do about a vehicle replacement, work clothes, and our annual mission trip to Romania. All of these are part of this decision.
The board that will approve the search committee's recommendation is meeting as I write this post. So, after seven months of allowing the process to take it's course we could have an answer as early as today.
If that answer is yes then we have another wonderful and daunting set of decisions to make and projects to undertake. There will be new friends to encounter and a grace filled exit from my workplace and our neighborhood. There will be new opportunities to put our touch on in a special place, to build up the Kingdom of God in a place where He is already at work.
I am at peace with the decision regardless of whether it's yes or no. Don't be confused, I want the job but I have the blessing of a wonderful place to work already!
Several months ago I was invited to pursue a new opportunity. Part of the opportunity would require selling our home and relocating to a residence provided by my new employer. It would also mean leaving neighbors we have come to love dearly. After carefully considering the pros and cons, and praying we decided to go for it. So today we are at the metaphorical "fork in the road."
There are projects that are in waiting regardless of the fork we take but none of the projects can be addressed until we actually choose the fork. For example, I would like for us to have a home energy audit of our home, this would show us ways to increase our energy savings. I don't want to spend the money on this if we will be selling our home soon. My lovely wife is being very patient about a bathroom remodel. There are a number of projects that are waiting for the choice we make: a drainage project, some rain barrels, some new lights for our garden, a ceiling fan for our patio & a shade to block the afternoon sun.
There are other considerations - what to do about a vehicle replacement, work clothes, and our annual mission trip to Romania. All of these are part of this decision.
The board that will approve the search committee's recommendation is meeting as I write this post. So, after seven months of allowing the process to take it's course we could have an answer as early as today.
If that answer is yes then we have another wonderful and daunting set of decisions to make and projects to undertake. There will be new friends to encounter and a grace filled exit from my workplace and our neighborhood. There will be new opportunities to put our touch on in a special place, to build up the Kingdom of God in a place where He is already at work.
I am at peace with the decision regardless of whether it's yes or no. Don't be confused, I want the job but I have the blessing of a wonderful place to work already!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Mortgage Paid Off!
Well the deed is done! We did it, we paid off the mortgage! We scrimped, saved, sacrificed and dreamed for two years about the possibility of killing the mortgage and we did it! We know there are a lot of people out of work and struggling just to pay their bills let alone try to get "ahead". We got fired up to become debt free after two "reorganizations" and staff reductions got us thinking, "What if it happened to us?"
We sat down and decided to forgo some wants and some fun stuff in the short run to get our financial house on solid ground. We found ways to cut some costs and reduced our spending on food & clothing to create some extra cash. We took any extra cash along with bonuses and some side income and threw it all at the mortgage.
We severely restricted our use of a credit card (except for set expenses) and paid cash for nearly everything; if there was no cash allocated for it we didn't do it!
We continued to give to our church, never went without because the Lord made everything go farther! We went on two family vacations to the beach, a 3 day cruise & most importantly He blessed our efforts and allowed us to take a mission trip to Romania and remain on track with our plan!
You too can accomplish this, be weird, "live like no one else so one day you can live like no one else."
We sat down and decided to forgo some wants and some fun stuff in the short run to get our financial house on solid ground. We found ways to cut some costs and reduced our spending on food & clothing to create some extra cash. We took any extra cash along with bonuses and some side income and threw it all at the mortgage.
We severely restricted our use of a credit card (except for set expenses) and paid cash for nearly everything; if there was no cash allocated for it we didn't do it!
We continued to give to our church, never went without because the Lord made everything go farther! We went on two family vacations to the beach, a 3 day cruise & most importantly He blessed our efforts and allowed us to take a mission trip to Romania and remain on track with our plan!
You too can accomplish this, be weird, "live like no one else so one day you can live like no one else."
My new mantra, "There is no such thing as good debt!"
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Goodbye Bank of America
Bank of America is now starting to charge fees based on the date that people pay their mortgage; no fee for the first few days, $3 for the next few and then $6 for the balance of the "grace" period. A bunch of people are up in arms about the new fees. Honestly, I never paid any attention to it because I always pay my mortgage on the due date - the 1st of the month .
I get that sometimes you might need a few days to get the payment to them but in my opinion that should be the exception rather than the rule... I guess there are "smart" money managers who know how to use every deadline to their advantage but, seriously with the paltry interest rates being paid for savings accounts you can't be talking about a lot of money. I just want to pay it and be done with it and not have it hanging over my head.
I have this suggestion for those smart money managers - quit spending so much energy trying to delay the payment and instead look at ways to find additional money to throw at the principal balance of your mortgage. My wife and I have gotten serious about paying off the mortgage company and becoming debt free. We are almost there!
I have come to understand that there is no such thing as "good debt"!
I get that sometimes you might need a few days to get the payment to them but in my opinion that should be the exception rather than the rule... I guess there are "smart" money managers who know how to use every deadline to their advantage but, seriously with the paltry interest rates being paid for savings accounts you can't be talking about a lot of money. I just want to pay it and be done with it and not have it hanging over my head.
I have this suggestion for those smart money managers - quit spending so much energy trying to delay the payment and instead look at ways to find additional money to throw at the principal balance of your mortgage. My wife and I have gotten serious about paying off the mortgage company and becoming debt free. We are almost there!
I have come to understand that there is no such thing as "good debt"!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
AND THEN THERE WERE TWELVE - REVISITED
In my blog post last May I wrote about our decision to accelerate the payoff of our mortgage. We had experienced a couple of financial close calls with our jobs and wanted to position ourselves in a less vulnerable place. We looked at the remaining balance of our mortgage and decided to throw everything we could scrape together at the principal balance of our mortgage. In May our goal was to pay off our mortgage by June 1, 2011.
Here is our update: We are nearing the end of 2010; we have revisited our goals and adjusted the date we think we can make the final payment. Our loan balance has been reduced to $26,250 and our revised goal is to cut it down to $20,500 by the end of the year. This will exceed our original goal by $4,500!
We are now looking at our last mortgage payment being May 1, 2011. This is a mere six months away and it will continue to require a significant sacrifice on our part. There is no guarantee that we won't have a setback that may require an adjustment but Lord willing we'll be celebrating with our last payment on May 1, 2011!
Here is our update: We are nearing the end of 2010; we have revisited our goals and adjusted the date we think we can make the final payment. Our loan balance has been reduced to $26,250 and our revised goal is to cut it down to $20,500 by the end of the year. This will exceed our original goal by $4,500!
We are now looking at our last mortgage payment being May 1, 2011. This is a mere six months away and it will continue to require a significant sacrifice on our part. There is no guarantee that we won't have a setback that may require an adjustment but Lord willing we'll be celebrating with our last payment on May 1, 2011!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Closing the Escrow Account
We continue to move closer to paying off our mortgage; see my post, "And Then There Were Twelve!," last week we contacted our mortgage company and closed our escrow account. We would have to do our own escrow after we kill the mortgage anyway and I wanted to take this step now. The advantage of this is that we can have the money in our account drawing interest instead of giving that interest away to the mortgage company. Granted the interest income is very small right now but I'd rather have it in my pocket than theirs!
I was surprised by the speed in which we received our escrow check, I expected it to take a couple of weeks but it was in our mailbox three days later! The next step is to open another sub-account with ING and have the money automatically drafted from our checking account each month. By doing this when taxes and insurance bills are due we'll have the funds to pay the bills and we'll have earned some interest on the money as well.
I was surprised by the speed in which we received our escrow check, I expected it to take a couple of weeks but it was in our mailbox three days later! The next step is to open another sub-account with ING and have the money automatically drafted from our checking account each month. By doing this when taxes and insurance bills are due we'll have the funds to pay the bills and we'll have earned some interest on the money as well.
Friday, May 14, 2010
AND THEN THERE WERE TWELVE!
In January of 2009 after my wife and I experienced a couple of close calls with budget cuts and staff reductions we decided to take charge of our financial future and get serious about paying off the mortgage on our home. We looked at the balance owed on our mortgage ($106,755) and the remaining term (23 years) and decided to take as much of my salary and any "extra" money we could find and throw it at the principal balance of our mortgage. Our goal was to pay it off by the end of 2013.
We wanted our goal to be significant, manageable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
Significant - Paying off 106k in 5 years is a significant debt reduction.
Manageable - We felt that earmarking much of my salary was manageable.
Achievable - 5 years would be a major commitment but something that was achievable.
Realistic - No matter how you look at things on paper there are going to have to be adjustments and setbacks, so we planned for the "unexpected".
Time-Bound - We set a deadline to help us remain focused on our goal.
The first three months we struggled to find an extra $700 but then things began clicking! A bonus, a tax refund and another nice check had us on our way! By the end of 2009 we were fortunate to pay an extra $36,184 toward the principal! This left us with a balance of $65,000 at the beginning of 2010.
Regarding our goals; we felt we had met each one and significantly exceeded our expectations for the principal reduction. One really exciting thing was when the amount of principal became greater than the amount of interest paid with the regular payment each month.
So here we are nearing the middle of 2010; we have revisited our goals and adjusted the date we think we can make the final payment. Our balance has been reduced to $45,194.16 and our goal is to cut it down to $25,000 by the end of the year.
We are now looking at our last mortgage payment being June 1, 2011. that's still twelve months away and will continue to require a significant sacrifice on our part. There is no guarantee that we won't have a setback that may require an adjustment but Lord willing we'll be celebrating with our June 1, 2011 payment!
We wanted our goal to be significant, manageable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
Significant - Paying off 106k in 5 years is a significant debt reduction.
Manageable - We felt that earmarking much of my salary was manageable.
Achievable - 5 years would be a major commitment but something that was achievable.
Realistic - No matter how you look at things on paper there are going to have to be adjustments and setbacks, so we planned for the "unexpected".
Time-Bound - We set a deadline to help us remain focused on our goal.
The first three months we struggled to find an extra $700 but then things began clicking! A bonus, a tax refund and another nice check had us on our way! By the end of 2009 we were fortunate to pay an extra $36,184 toward the principal! This left us with a balance of $65,000 at the beginning of 2010.
Regarding our goals; we felt we had met each one and significantly exceeded our expectations for the principal reduction. One really exciting thing was when the amount of principal became greater than the amount of interest paid with the regular payment each month.
So here we are nearing the middle of 2010; we have revisited our goals and adjusted the date we think we can make the final payment. Our balance has been reduced to $45,194.16 and our goal is to cut it down to $25,000 by the end of the year.
We are now looking at our last mortgage payment being June 1, 2011. that's still twelve months away and will continue to require a significant sacrifice on our part. There is no guarantee that we won't have a setback that may require an adjustment but Lord willing we'll be celebrating with our June 1, 2011 payment!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Spring has Sprung
The weather has warmed and the plants that surround our property are springing to life once again. Five years ago my wife and I set out to convert our yard, which was comprised almost totally in grass, to something more of an oasis for retreat and enjoyment. First came a small rose garden then A small area was converted to a vegetable garden. Slowly we have converted almost half of our lawn into gardens. We enjoy shade from our pear trees and fresh herbs from our herb garden. Last year we had a bumper crop of basil and plenty of rosemary to use over the winter. Our freezer still contains the bounty from a bumper crop of bell and banana peppers.
We recycled Easter Lilies from church a couple of years ago and they continue to multiply and bloom, alas never at Easter. Theresa, our next door neighbor, has shared from her Iris bounty and we have passed them along to others as well. We have a lovely Chinese rose given by friends in Arkansas and we have shipped cuttings of it across the street and across town.
This weekend we (my lovely wife) mowed the grass for the first time and this week I finished painting the porch that now provides shade and a cool refuge from the summer heat.
Yesterday we enjoyed putting out our hummingbird feeder and were delighted to find a tiny "scout" hummingbird enjoying some sweet nectar! Soon the garden will be in full bloom with Tiger and Day Lilies, hydrangeas, roses and so many other flowers that make our back yard a place where we can enjoy God's beauty and share it with others.
We recycled Easter Lilies from church a couple of years ago and they continue to multiply and bloom, alas never at Easter. Theresa, our next door neighbor, has shared from her Iris bounty and we have passed them along to others as well. We have a lovely Chinese rose given by friends in Arkansas and we have shipped cuttings of it across the street and across town.
This weekend we (my lovely wife) mowed the grass for the first time and this week I finished painting the porch that now provides shade and a cool refuge from the summer heat.
Yesterday we enjoyed putting out our hummingbird feeder and were delighted to find a tiny "scout" hummingbird enjoying some sweet nectar! Soon the garden will be in full bloom with Tiger and Day Lilies, hydrangeas, roses and so many other flowers that make our back yard a place where we can enjoy God's beauty and share it with others.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Roses & Thorns
Friday I was trimming our rose bushes and at one point a thorn went deep into the flesh of a finger. I gently removed the thorn and went on trimming but the tenderness continued for a couple of days.
I remembered that Jesus had been given a crown of thorns so I looked up the passage (Matthew 27:27-31). When Jesus had been sentenced to death the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They then took a staff and struck him on the head again and again.
Can you imagine the agony of those long thorns piercing his flesh not once but again and again as they were driven deeper by the relentless hammering of the staff.
This was only one of the terrible acts precipitated upon Jesus, the worst, of course was his actual death by crucifixion.
It makes one random thorn in my flesh seem pretty benign.
Thank you Jesus for sacrificing your life to reconcile me to God and enduring what should have been my fate.
I remembered that Jesus had been given a crown of thorns so I looked up the passage (Matthew 27:27-31). When Jesus had been sentenced to death the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They then took a staff and struck him on the head again and again.
Can you imagine the agony of those long thorns piercing his flesh not once but again and again as they were driven deeper by the relentless hammering of the staff.
This was only one of the terrible acts precipitated upon Jesus, the worst, of course was his actual death by crucifixion.
It makes one random thorn in my flesh seem pretty benign.
Thank you Jesus for sacrificing your life to reconcile me to God and enduring what should have been my fate.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday
Today at church we consumed the reserve sacrament, and at the end of the service the priest blew out the candle that was burning on the altar. At that moment what washed over me was the thought that this was just like the life of Christ being snuffed out on the cross for my sins.
How humbling it is to know that someone loved me so much to die for me and to reconcile me with God!
How humbling it is to know that someone loved me so much to die for me and to reconcile me with God!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Health Care
I recently had a horrible experience with a local doctor that I just had to share.
It all started when my friend Shirley received a preliminary diagnosis of cancer. The good news for Shirley is that it turned out to be an infection and not cancer. Her scare was the motivation for me to contact a dermatologist to have a red mark on my forehead checked out. I knew I needed to see a dermatologist and the only experience I had was when one of my sons saw one years ago for acne. I thought, why not use the same doctor. That was my first mistake, but not my last one with this guy!
I chose to make an appointment with a doctor with a Rheumatology & Dermatology practice in Cordova because my son had seen him and it was convenient to my home. I showed up for the appointment and paid the required fee to see the doctor. Once in the examining room the doctor vacillated between taking a biopsy and freezing the spot on my forehead and another on my back. He finally chose to freeze them - all the while he was facing the computer entering various notes and codes. He left the room and a woman entered and asked for $14 so they could freeze the two spots. I asked, "can't this wait until I check out?" She said no, collected my payment and left. The technician said, "she gets chewed out all the time for having to do this." I guess they thought I would stiff them for the $14!
Several weeks later I return to have my "spots" checked and they collect my copay at the door. The doctor comes in and looks at the spots then focuses on his computer all the time speaking with his back to me again. Honestly, I wish I had said to him, "Excuse me doctor, I'm over here, your patient, can't you take a few minutes and ignore your computer?" The long and short of it is I got in and out in a few minutes and decided that I would never seek treatment from this doctor again! That was before I heard from the insurance company.
I received my explanation of benefits (EOB) from my visits. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT the doctor HAD CHARGED ANOTHER $200 FOR THE FOLLOW UP VISIT! In my opinion this should have been a courtesy follow up... Obviously I was wrong.
Today I called the office and after requesting to speak with the office manager. I was given the third degree about why I needed to speak to her then placed on hold. I guess the normal procedure is to put the patient on hold for an extended period of time to review the charges and hope that I would hang up, eventually I got to speak to the manager. She said, "$200 was the normal charge" (my insurance only paid like $84 for customary and reasonable charges) and that, "dermatological visits were expensive." NO KIDDING!
To top it all off she said I still owe $7 and change for the visits after my payments and the insurance reimbursements. I asked her politely if she would waive those charges as a courtesy and she said something sweet like, "they don't do that."
Not so sweetly but still poiltely I said, "I will pay your bill but, I will never darken the door of the practice again, that the doctor has a terrible bedside manner and I would tell all my friends about my experience! Hence the blog post today!
By the way I asked my son about his experience years ago - he agreed that the guy has no bedside manner.
If you want to avoid my experience I'll be happy to share the name of the doctor with you.
It all started when my friend Shirley received a preliminary diagnosis of cancer. The good news for Shirley is that it turned out to be an infection and not cancer. Her scare was the motivation for me to contact a dermatologist to have a red mark on my forehead checked out. I knew I needed to see a dermatologist and the only experience I had was when one of my sons saw one years ago for acne. I thought, why not use the same doctor. That was my first mistake, but not my last one with this guy!
I chose to make an appointment with a doctor with a Rheumatology & Dermatology practice in Cordova because my son had seen him and it was convenient to my home. I showed up for the appointment and paid the required fee to see the doctor. Once in the examining room the doctor vacillated between taking a biopsy and freezing the spot on my forehead and another on my back. He finally chose to freeze them - all the while he was facing the computer entering various notes and codes. He left the room and a woman entered and asked for $14 so they could freeze the two spots. I asked, "can't this wait until I check out?" She said no, collected my payment and left. The technician said, "she gets chewed out all the time for having to do this." I guess they thought I would stiff them for the $14!
Several weeks later I return to have my "spots" checked and they collect my copay at the door. The doctor comes in and looks at the spots then focuses on his computer all the time speaking with his back to me again. Honestly, I wish I had said to him, "Excuse me doctor, I'm over here, your patient, can't you take a few minutes and ignore your computer?" The long and short of it is I got in and out in a few minutes and decided that I would never seek treatment from this doctor again! That was before I heard from the insurance company.
I received my explanation of benefits (EOB) from my visits. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT the doctor HAD CHARGED ANOTHER $200 FOR THE FOLLOW UP VISIT! In my opinion this should have been a courtesy follow up... Obviously I was wrong.
Today I called the office and after requesting to speak with the office manager. I was given the third degree about why I needed to speak to her then placed on hold. I guess the normal procedure is to put the patient on hold for an extended period of time to review the charges and hope that I would hang up, eventually I got to speak to the manager. She said, "$200 was the normal charge" (my insurance only paid like $84 for customary and reasonable charges) and that, "dermatological visits were expensive." NO KIDDING!
To top it all off she said I still owe $7 and change for the visits after my payments and the insurance reimbursements. I asked her politely if she would waive those charges as a courtesy and she said something sweet like, "they don't do that."
Not so sweetly but still poiltely I said, "I will pay your bill but, I will never darken the door of the practice again, that the doctor has a terrible bedside manner and I would tell all my friends about my experience! Hence the blog post today!
By the way I asked my son about his experience years ago - he agreed that the guy has no bedside manner.
If you want to avoid my experience I'll be happy to share the name of the doctor with you.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tofu Adventure Part II
We are now two months into this modified diet and I wanted to comment about the changes we have made.
First some successes:
Both of the following have been staples of our daily diet.
Red Meat - I thought this would be the most difficult to give up, but to my surprise it has been quite easy! I don't generally crave red meat anymore and find chicken, turkey, fish and even tofu acceptable alternatives.
Potatoes - no longer consuming them having replaced them with rice and couscous. I love potato chips but have substituted them with multi grain chips that satisfy my craving for salt.
When we do eat out it has been fairly easy to opt for the fish, chicken or salad and skip the meat all together!
Now for the failures:
Dairy - We have discovered that we can't live without cheese, particularly cheddar. So we eat it in moderation rather than cutting it out all together. We still drink milk although Soy milk is fine it is a cost issue.
Alcohol - I still love drinking a beer after a good workout such as mowing the lawn, but we have tried to be more intentional about drinking a glass of wine that is better for us.
Breads & Sugars - Bread is something that we make and love, particularly Cheddar Cheese Bread! We will keep enjoying this on a regular basis. I have discovered that I have more of a sweet tooth now, enjoying cookies and ice cream recently. I do try to use honey as a substitute but I still consume far too much processed sugar.
Side Notes:
Ground turkey is a wonderful substitute for beef. We have made stroganoff, burgers, and spaghetti with great results!
Couscous are great especially when you need a side dish is a hurry, be sure to add some spices to the dish especially cumin!
I have discovered a dill sauce for fish that is divine - of course it has dairy in the ingredients - but it is awesome!
We have discovered that asparagus and corn cooked on the grill are delicious!
That's all for now.
First some successes:
Both of the following have been staples of our daily diet.
Red Meat - I thought this would be the most difficult to give up, but to my surprise it has been quite easy! I don't generally crave red meat anymore and find chicken, turkey, fish and even tofu acceptable alternatives.
Potatoes - no longer consuming them having replaced them with rice and couscous. I love potato chips but have substituted them with multi grain chips that satisfy my craving for salt.
When we do eat out it has been fairly easy to opt for the fish, chicken or salad and skip the meat all together!
Now for the failures:
Dairy - We have discovered that we can't live without cheese, particularly cheddar. So we eat it in moderation rather than cutting it out all together. We still drink milk although Soy milk is fine it is a cost issue.
Alcohol - I still love drinking a beer after a good workout such as mowing the lawn, but we have tried to be more intentional about drinking a glass of wine that is better for us.
Breads & Sugars - Bread is something that we make and love, particularly Cheddar Cheese Bread! We will keep enjoying this on a regular basis. I have discovered that I have more of a sweet tooth now, enjoying cookies and ice cream recently. I do try to use honey as a substitute but I still consume far too much processed sugar.
Side Notes:
Ground turkey is a wonderful substitute for beef. We have made stroganoff, burgers, and spaghetti with great results!
Couscous are great especially when you need a side dish is a hurry, be sure to add some spices to the dish especially cumin!
I have discovered a dill sauce for fish that is divine - of course it has dairy in the ingredients - but it is awesome!
We have discovered that asparagus and corn cooked on the grill are delicious!
That's all for now.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wilderness Wanderings
30 Days out!
Every year my dear friends Bob "The Bobber" Schubert, Clark "Bwana" Lentz, and Mike "Doc Mike" McMahon plan a 10 day wilderness adventure to the western United States. In years past we have visited California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. This year we'll visit the Escalante Wilderness in Utah. Our trips regularly test our outdoor skills and always bring us closer together! We are approaching 20 years of trips and here are some of the highlights!
Our trips began in the summer of 1991 when we made our first backpacking trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. Since then we have been known as the "Glacier Guyes" and our adventures and misadventures live on like the story a fisherman tells of a great fish!
We have climbed peaks including Mt Whitney (14,500') in California which is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and was probably our least favorite summit. We have hiked through acres of wildflowers, skinny dipped in frigid lakes and "canoed" on melting icebergs.
We have met some interesting people along our journey; Little Brother in Glacier, a strange man carrying several steamer trunks, and a man who lost all his food to a bear. There was the beautiful young woman whom Clark and I encountered on the Continental Divide and 18 years later Clark is still kicking himself for not pursuing the woman of his dreams.
We too have seen all sorts of wildlife; Grizzly & Black Bears, Elk, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Marmots, Pica, Mule Deer, Squirrels, Loons, Eagles and Bwana Clark has reeled in many a trout for us to fry up and enjoy.
Food is often a focal point of our trips and we have enjoyed dishes created along the trail with appropriate names like, "Golden Trout Fish Nuggets; Blue Diamond Lake Trout Almondine; Louisiana Red Beans and Rice which has been banned from future trips! Thimbleberries, raspberries, blueberries, Schubert's Mint, are included in the wild edibles in addition to the fish.
Bears like "people food" a lot; on our Mt Whitney trip we were three days from the end of the trip when we literally fought off a 250 pound bear who had invaded our camp looking for an easy meal. The bear left after 20 minutes of being pelted with rocks!
The Glacier Guyes have been joined by some friends on various trips. Ronnie who tells the best stories I've ever heard; Rodney who will never be forgotten for his dive (a forward 1&1/2 somersault from the pike position) at Hilton Lake; & the rite of passage to manhood for Jim and Sam, my sons who share my love for all things wild.
I'm so very blessed to call all these me my friends and look forward to our adventure next month!
Greg "Greggy" Ward
Every year my dear friends Bob "The Bobber" Schubert, Clark "Bwana" Lentz, and Mike "Doc Mike" McMahon plan a 10 day wilderness adventure to the western United States. In years past we have visited California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. This year we'll visit the Escalante Wilderness in Utah. Our trips regularly test our outdoor skills and always bring us closer together! We are approaching 20 years of trips and here are some of the highlights!
Our trips began in the summer of 1991 when we made our first backpacking trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. Since then we have been known as the "Glacier Guyes" and our adventures and misadventures live on like the story a fisherman tells of a great fish!
We have climbed peaks including Mt Whitney (14,500') in California which is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and was probably our least favorite summit. We have hiked through acres of wildflowers, skinny dipped in frigid lakes and "canoed" on melting icebergs.
We have met some interesting people along our journey; Little Brother in Glacier, a strange man carrying several steamer trunks, and a man who lost all his food to a bear. There was the beautiful young woman whom Clark and I encountered on the Continental Divide and 18 years later Clark is still kicking himself for not pursuing the woman of his dreams.
We too have seen all sorts of wildlife; Grizzly & Black Bears, Elk, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Goats, Marmots, Pica, Mule Deer, Squirrels, Loons, Eagles and Bwana Clark has reeled in many a trout for us to fry up and enjoy.
Food is often a focal point of our trips and we have enjoyed dishes created along the trail with appropriate names like, "Golden Trout Fish Nuggets; Blue Diamond Lake Trout Almondine; Louisiana Red Beans and Rice which has been banned from future trips! Thimbleberries, raspberries, blueberries, Schubert's Mint, are included in the wild edibles in addition to the fish.
Bears like "people food" a lot; on our Mt Whitney trip we were three days from the end of the trip when we literally fought off a 250 pound bear who had invaded our camp looking for an easy meal. The bear left after 20 minutes of being pelted with rocks!
The Glacier Guyes have been joined by some friends on various trips. Ronnie who tells the best stories I've ever heard; Rodney who will never be forgotten for his dive (a forward 1&1/2 somersault from the pike position) at Hilton Lake; & the rite of passage to manhood for Jim and Sam, my sons who share my love for all things wild.
I'm so very blessed to call all these me my friends and look forward to our adventure next month!
Greg "Greggy" Ward
Monday, April 27, 2009
Money Strategist
Saving money knows no season.
Spring is in the air and things are growing like crazy in our gardens! Beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees are all enjoying life anew with the advent of warmer temperatures. Last week I prepared the mower for another year or mowing. I checked the oil, replaced the air filter and noticed that the grass catcher still had a plastic bag stuffed in it to seal a hole that let grass escape. I checked on buying a new grass catcher but that was going to be more than $75 with tax and shipping. My thinking is that the grass catcher works but it looks horrible.
Just a couple of days later I'm driving along a busy highway and I spied a grass catcher that looked to be in great shape lying on the shoulder of the road. I wonder could it possibly fit my mower? I turned around and picked up the grass catcher, and quickly tossed it into the back of my truck since I was stopped along a busy highway. I returned home and low and behold it was a Craftsman 21" grass catcher, the exact model as the one on my mower! Score a $75 bonus for this lucky guy!
There are lots of opportunities to get bargains out there. It is unlikely that I'll find another freebie on the side of the road but I'll keep my eyes open! In the past year I have started visiting estate sales and I have scored a breadmaker that is incredible (I use it at least weekly) for $25! I have picked up a 24 bottle wine refrigerator for $75, and a food processor for $10.
Using the internet I used my coke rewards points to score a $50 Walgreens Gift Card. I helped my son purchase an airline ticket on E-Bay for $350 saving him $250 dollars!
My $9,000 pick up truck was purchased for $4,700 in cash and a 42" plasma TV with the wall mount was bought for $420 in cash at a tax asset auctions. Both have served me well for three years now.
Most of this requires a little bit of imagination, looking past some dust, and spending time on the internet, or the newspaper. Being smart with your money doesn't mean that you have to live like a pauper, in fact, I submit to you that I live well beyond a pauper precisely because I have learned to become a money strategist.
I'd love to hear some of your stories so I can learn from you!
Spring is in the air and things are growing like crazy in our gardens! Beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees are all enjoying life anew with the advent of warmer temperatures. Last week I prepared the mower for another year or mowing. I checked the oil, replaced the air filter and noticed that the grass catcher still had a plastic bag stuffed in it to seal a hole that let grass escape. I checked on buying a new grass catcher but that was going to be more than $75 with tax and shipping. My thinking is that the grass catcher works but it looks horrible.
Just a couple of days later I'm driving along a busy highway and I spied a grass catcher that looked to be in great shape lying on the shoulder of the road. I wonder could it possibly fit my mower? I turned around and picked up the grass catcher, and quickly tossed it into the back of my truck since I was stopped along a busy highway. I returned home and low and behold it was a Craftsman 21" grass catcher, the exact model as the one on my mower! Score a $75 bonus for this lucky guy!
There are lots of opportunities to get bargains out there. It is unlikely that I'll find another freebie on the side of the road but I'll keep my eyes open! In the past year I have started visiting estate sales and I have scored a breadmaker that is incredible (I use it at least weekly) for $25! I have picked up a 24 bottle wine refrigerator for $75, and a food processor for $10.
Using the internet I used my coke rewards points to score a $50 Walgreens Gift Card. I helped my son purchase an airline ticket on E-Bay for $350 saving him $250 dollars!
My $9,000 pick up truck was purchased for $4,700 in cash and a 42" plasma TV with the wall mount was bought for $420 in cash at a tax asset auctions. Both have served me well for three years now.
Most of this requires a little bit of imagination, looking past some dust, and spending time on the internet, or the newspaper. Being smart with your money doesn't mean that you have to live like a pauper, in fact, I submit to you that I live well beyond a pauper precisely because I have learned to become a money strategist.
I'd love to hear some of your stories so I can learn from you!
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