1st day of 2019

Listening to the radio, I heard a commercial.  Before you hit me with a "duh" let me explain.  The announcer starts talking about some guy.  He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, eats, breakfast, drives to the station, takes a train to town  (actually I don't remember exactly what all the guy did that morning), went to work, ate lunch, took the train home - and so forth.  The point is that a description is given of the guys common everyday events - then he goes to bed unaware that an F5 tornado will strike his town that night.
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What is implied is that he did all the common mundane things he always does not realizing that this was his last day to be alive.  I assumed the F5 tornado took him out.  When you get to my age (78) this type of thing hits home - to me.  I never know from one moment to another if it is the last moment - or (morbid thought) if it is the last moment of my wife, children, grandchildren.   It is just what it is.

One should live as if it is the last day.   Enjoy life.  Give up smoking - cut back on the drinking - drive a tad bit slower - what's the hurry? - enjoy foods that are good - play with the dog more - the list just continues.

I was loving on my Sadie tonight talking into her ear as if she could understand.  Sadie snuggles.  She puts that little furry head right under your chin and pushes  up to get closer and closer.  I stroke her and talk to her ear.  And I get a bit despondent...sad, if you will.   I wish I could go back to all of my other little critters and children and hold them again, talking into their ears as if they could understand my babbling.  I remember that "Jill" use to sit on the step of the den (converted garage) looking into the rest of the house just waiting for someone to talk to her. 

I could write this for another hour I believe.  Let's move on.
Today, January 1, 2019.    I was up around 9 - Greta was up about 9:35.  I took her to the dog pit for relief.  Sweet girl.  I watched the Rose Bowl parade marveling at the different enormous bands.  They are all so very good.  The band from Japan with its fine playing and cute little dance steps is a highlight for me.  Sometimes I believe I could watch bands 24-7.  Then, other times, not so much.  I really loved the parade today.

Lunch was our traditional Ham and Black-Eyed Peas.  Today we added BBQ sauce to the ham with sliced onions.  Good.  Yum.  3rd course was macaroni and cheese.  I have to limit how much I eat of certain foods, but when I get to enjoy them, I do.  

While my wife napped the afternoon away, I worked on my finances in order to put 2018 away and start the new year fresh.  I have a box ready for all 2018  receipts - IRS is looking over all of our shoulders.   

Not that any of you might really care, I have a method to help me with finances.   Several years ago I had some money problems.  I developed this method to keep me on the straight and narrow.  

First of all, I get a big spiral notebook from Walmart - each new year a different color.   The Walmart thing is not a part of the system; the notebook is.  2018 was bright orange (certainly not burnt orange) 2019 is bright Yellow.

I make an index at the front.  Then, each page of the book is dedicated to an existing account.  
Page 1 = Water Bill;  Page 2 = electric bill;  Page 3 = Propane company; Page 4 = AT&T - and so forth.  Each credit account is given a page whether I am using that credit account or not.  I have a page that list medical expenses - payments to any charity / church - Everything that I do which needs a paper trail.  One might have a page for House payments, another for house taxes due - I could go on with this for another few hours.

As I pay something, I notate it in the book...date, amount, check #, acct details.  This way I can check to make sure that all bills have been paid.  You might think this is overkill - and it is.  I even have a page which explains the kind of tires to buy for my Marauder....how the sprinkler system is set up....which rooms of my house have LED lights...yep, a bit obsessive.   

One thing I haven't got squared away is listing what medicines - shots the dogs need.  This bit of nonsense is really too much.  I don't understand the Vet's system.

Another reason I got into this is that at one time I worked at a place that paid me every other week.  You have to be organized to make sure everything gets paid in a timely manner and with which bi-weekly check.  I don't see how people survive that system without a plan - or even worse, what if you are paid weekly?  Gads, that would be a problem for me.

I remember that I use to pay my car insurance once every 6 months. Boy, did that not work out for me. We were teaching in Oklahoma and barely made it to the end of the month with any extra cash.  And, of course, at least one child got sick monthly.  It never failed.   Then, that dreaded insurance bill would arrive in the mail.  It was almost too much to handle.

That is what makes living fun.  Trials - can't spell Tribulations - Try-bu-lays-sions.  I got three pretty good kids out of the ranting and railing though ... so, let's move on to January 2nd and see what happens next in my future mundane happenings.  I do believe we may go to the grocery store tomorrow - always an adventure doing that.
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