In Memorian--My Ancestor & Our Country

Of the 32 ancestors who participated in the American War of Northern Aggression, I have uncovered in my research, today is the 150th Anniversary of the death of one of them, during the Battle of Gettysburg.

John Lee Holt was a father of 2 and husband from Campbell County, VA.  He had been a school master in civilian life and a part time tobacco farmer on the side.  And no, he did not own any slaves.
(Only about 6% of households in the South pre-war were wealthy enough to be part of the Planter Class and own slaves. Add in the free-black and native American households who owned slaves and the % is higher.)

John Lee Holt mustered into service as a private, for the Confederate States of America on 18 July 1861 in neighboring Charlotte County, VA, in the 56th Regiment of the Virginia Infantry, known as the Charlotte Grays, which fought in General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.  He was 32 years old and left a pregnant wife and 16 month old baby son the day he went off to defend the South.  He was only able to get a furlough one time during his 2 years of service.  He only met his daughter on that one occasion.

He was present at the battle of Fort Donelson, was captured and exchanged with his unit in February of 1862. After this, his regiment was assigned to General Pickett's Brigade.

He reported sick to the Empire Hospital of Atlanta, GA in March of 1862.  He fought at the Battle of Boonsboro, MD(South Mountain), which was the first battle fought on Northern soil, then the Seven Days Battles, 2nd Manassas and Sharpsburg.  At the Seven Days Battles of the 466 combatants in this unit, 100 casualties were reported.  Only 40 men from this unit were at Sharpsburg with 8 being wounded during that skirmish.

Then he accompanied his wounded brother, Meredith, to the Old School Presbyterian Church & Market House Hospitals in Winchester, VA on 20 September 1862.  He was employed as a nurse there until 1 November 1862, while he brother recuperated. 

He was admitted to Richmond Hospital in November of 1862  but returned to duty in time for the Battle of Fredericksburg.

He may or may not have been at the Siege of Suffolk and by the time surrender at Appomattox occurred only 3 officers and 26 men were left of this regiment.
Unfortunately, John didn't  make it to Appomattox in April of 1865.

As part of Longstreet's Corps, Pickett's Division, Garnett's Brigade, on July 3 1863 at about 2pm, John along with 12,500 fellow Southerners, started the descent down Seminary Ridge, across the cornfield toward the Emmittsburg Road and the Yankee lines beyond.  He was between two of his brothers when a mini ball hit him and he fell.  John waved his brothers forward indicating that he'd be ok.
Federal records in his service record reported that he was being held as a captured POW from 24 October 1863 to 19 January 1864, but we now know that John Lee Holt succumbed to his wounds and died on the battlefield that July day in 1863 in a cornfield by the Emmittsburg Rd.

Of the 286 members of the 56th Regiment participating at Gettysburg, more than 65% were "disabled"(and/or killed).

The family did not know his fate until 1865, as a death claim was filed in March of that year, a month before the War of Northern Aggression officially ended.

Today I mourn our sad bloody past and the wars(this one in particular)that didn't necessarily have to be fought, that make up our history.  We would be a much better nation and peoples if not for the tyranny of our government.

Deo Vindice John, Deo Vindice....

Sluggy







 

Of Freezers, Hunks Of Meat, DNA & The 3 Stooges

The last 2 days have been almost as much fun as last Friday was.
More time spent on the phone, which is one of my most favorite things. HA!

Update on the freezer.......
It's gone....as of 10 am Tuesday morning.
Hurray!!!

The asst. manager guy from Home Despot....er, Home Depot arrived with an assistant(assistant to the assistant manager?)in a sort of truck thingy vehicle and took her away.
The asst. manager even called me when they got back to the store and took my c/c number to issue me a refund.
I didn't even have to go to the store to get my money back.
Cool beans.

My local HD store gets two thumbs Way Up from me for the way they handled this situation.

Now I just have to decide what to do about a freezer as the old fridge's freezer compartment is not a long term solution for us.

On Monday, after running various store errands with my sons, we stopped in at Lone Star for lunch.
Oldest and I got a lunch steak and baked potato.
When I cut into my steak it was as far from Medium Rare inside, as I could have possibly ordered it.
I ate one piece and then decided, WTF?, I am NOT going to be ok with this steak being done incorrectly after all.
So I got the waiter's attention and sent it back for the kitchen to try again.
The replacement was done a tad Rare but borderline rare was better than the first one which was approaching well, so I pronounced it sufficiently cooked and munched away.  They also brought me a second potato which I couldn't possibly have eaten, so I boxed it and took it home.

Before we finished the meal, the manager du jour came over to "table touch"(technical restaurant biz term) and inquired about our visit.  The waiter had briefed her on the steak trouble so she said she was comping my lunch as, "It should have been done correctly the first time."
I did not argue the point and thanked her for the gesture.
And $11.29 stayed in my wallet on Monday. ;-)
Of course, the waiter got a real nice tip too.....

Then Monday afternoon, the Whirlpool authorized repair person finally called me.
I told him, thanks but no thanks as that POS appliance is going back to the store, so he need not bother making a trip out to visit it at my house.  But thanks for finally calling me for an appointment, 3 days after Whirlpool sent you the request for service!
Asshole......see if I EVER call you if another appliance of mine goes on the fritz.....

 

Monday evening I get an email back from FamilyTreeDNA.  These are the folks I bought a DNA testing kit from last month for $199.  Then they sent me a mass email as a user about a great DNA testing kit sale, not 3 weeks after paying them $199 for a kit.  Now that same kit is on sale for....$99.

Of course they got an angry email from me the evening I received that notice that they were charging HALF of what I was made to pay.
As a way to placate me, they are refunding $50 of what I paid(though I still don't see a credit for this on a c/c bill).
It's not total satisfaction but it's better than nothing.

So I won't totally tell all my readers to avoid FamilyTreeDNA for all your genealogical DNA testing needs like I was going to.
I will say that if you buy their product, wait for the inevitable sale price.

Oh, and be prepared to wait TWO MONTHS at least for your test results once it's received in their lab.
My problem is, if they take TWO MONTHS to provide test results when they charge $199, imagine how long test results will take once they drop the price by HALF and get inundated with orders!
Just don't be holding your breath....

Then let's move on to my youngest son's flute camp registration.
He's attending a flute camp at a university a couple of hours away from here next week.
I registered him online, on the school's website with a credit card over a month ago.

They sent a zip file with release forms that need to be signed and brought with us, as well as a file with other information(what to bring, daily itinerary, how to pay the balance of the tuition, etc.).
Of course when I went late last week to pay the balance due with my credit card, on their linked web page where you can make c/c payments, I get the "this page is missing" page.  Some numbnut at the school in charge of the website has either moved or taken down the payment page.

Numerous tries later for 2 days and I still get the error page.  Obviously, the link is broken.
So I call them and leave a voice mail.
Then I email both the woman teaching the flute camp and the dept. secretary at the school on Friday.
The teacher emails me back Friday evening that she'll forward my situation on to the woman in charge of the camps and they will be back to me.

Of course, with all we were doing on Monday, I totally forget to follow up on this until 5:20pm on Monday.....as no one had called or emailed me by then on Monday.  So I called and the phone rang and rang and no voice mail kicked in, so I could leave a message.

Then I found the email with the zip file attachments, which was from yet another person at the school and emailed her Monday around 5:30pm and asked if somebody ANYBODY! connected to this camp could please call or email me.

On Tuesday morning, I come downstairs to an email from her.  Evidently it seems like everyone in charge of camp stuff at this school decided to go on vacation the same week! so that is why no one has gotten back to me until now.
This dept. secretary gives me the option of her finding someone else who can find a way for me to pay via online(?!?!....just fix the freaking link to the webpage!)or I can mail a check.
Figuring that trying to pay online will just lead to more emails and frustration as these folks don't seem very technologically savvy, I decide to write a check to snail mail there.


So I have to ask her for the mailing address, as that also was NOT in the literature they supplied me upon registering.  You would think when she suggested that method of payment that she would have volunteered an address?
She replies with the snail mail addy for a check payment.
Then I have to email her again for how to make the check out to, as neither she nor the literature gives an inkling about this point either.
***exasperated sigh***

Like pulling teeth on a shark, folks......

So I got the check mailed out and with the Holiday weekend, it will be a race to see who/which arrives at flute camp first.....our minivan carting #2 Son there or this check payment.  I'll have to print out emails to bring to prove that we made payment and to show the reason that this payment is NOT there yet is due to the chucklehead's running this shebang.
Leave it to people in academia to not be able to efficiently run a flute camp.
After dealing with 2 children attending colleges, I have run into this lackadaisical type of attitude with higher education institutions and employees all the time.  They are like government bureaucracies, in that, they have no motivation to be efficient, organized and on the ball.  After all, if a "customer" is not happy, they aren't in danger of losing their job, like a private sector business employee.
This type of crap out in the business world doesn't fly for very long, because the people who run things badly are soon out of business.
This is one of the reasons I really detest dealing with educational institutions.

But enough of this for now.

Finally score for this post.....

Freezers   0
Steak Restaurants   0
DNA Labs    1/2 pt.
University run programs  3 Stooges-none of which knows what the others are doing

ME  broken freezer-free, free steak in the belly, $50 back in wallet and ready for a straight jacket having to deal with Moe, Larry and Curly

Sluggy
 

The Boring Blog Giveaway WEEK 3....Time to Enter Again!

It's Summer.  Things slow down this time of year in the Bloggiverse.
I think it's time for a return of.........

Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY!

 

Here's how it works if you are new here.......

 

I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.

Here is what went into the Box today.....

 

 

1.  1 Aim Toothpaste

2.  1 Pepsodent Toothpaste
3.  1 Reach Toothbrush

4.  1 Reach Dental Floss

If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways HERE.  *As always, if you are located outside the US, you CAN enter and win but weight restrictions/shipping costs may mean your prize box will contain less items.*

***Time to enter.....You can enter on this Giveaway post until I close this post to entries.

1 entry per person per day on THIS POST.
Leave your name/email addy and a COMMENT on this post.  

This week I want to hear about Your 2013 Goals(if you have any).

At halfway through the year, how are you doing on those goals?

Do you need to adjust them and why?

 

You can come directly to this blog post or find it through the link on the right side bar to leave 1 comment per day.  The current Giveaway Post will be linked right at the top of the side bar.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower.

There are 2 ways to get 2 EXTRA entries on this and each new Giveaway Post.......

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with the URL of your blog so I can go check it out. **If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in an extra entry comment once each week of this giveaway.

2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog with a link to this post.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with a link to your blog post so I can go view it.  You can do this extra entry once each week of this giveaway.

 

These giveaways run about 4 weeks, depending on how often I get a blog post done.  The winner will be drawn from all valid entries received before the closing date of the giveaway.


 Any questions?  Just email me.

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "Oldest Son home for 6 days & We need to eat down all this frozen food since the new freezer died" Week.

 Let's get to it.....

 

Here's what was planned last week--

Sunday--Grilled Steak, Tossed Salad
Monday--Leftovers or BLTs
Tuesday--Crab cakes, stuffed clams, green beans
Wednesday--Breakfast for Dinner use eggs
Thursday--Grilled Hot Dogs on Rolls, Beans, Mixed Veggies
Friday-Something Chicken in the Crockpot with Veggies and Rice
Saturday--maybe Take-Out since #1 Son is due in that evening

 

Things went as planned until Thursday evening when I discovered the brand new freezer had shit the bed.....are you tired of me harping on this blasted appliance deal yet?  I know I am.....

 

Friday and Saturday were a free-for-all of "eat what I can't cram in the freezer and will go bad after a couple days in the fridge" Nights.  Not very good for my waistline but we survived it.

And #1 Son didn't come home Saturday; he came home on Sunday.

I spent $20.25 on $29.30 worth of groceries at a single store last week.   Some fresh produce, fruit and #2 Son wanted a frozen pizza.

 

Total spent in June was a whopping $280.74, so I had $119.26 leftover in my food budget.

Nice.

8-)))

 

 

Going into this week the leftovers that remain are--1 hot dog roll and half a container of half & half.

Because of the freezer, I had to cook up about 6 pounds of steak.....sniff, sniff......

I made a big batch of stroganoff and a crockpot of chili with it all.  The chili will be for the kids to eat for lunch and/or snacks this week.

 

It won't be a 'usual' week for us in the dinner category, as the oldest is home so that warrants some eating out and cooking things he likes(meaning lots of meat meals).

 

(I've made bold the leftover items I've used in the menu below.)

 Here's this week's meal plan--
 

Sunday--Beef Stroganoff over rice, Salad
Monday--Chinese takeout as Hubs is out of town(comes out of entertainment budget, not food)
Tuesday--Chicken Enchiladas(using pepper strips and chicken from freezer)
Wednesday--Not sure, 2 of us might be out of town for the day..Hubs will make pasta or have leftovers.....if we don't go, Quiche(using up half & half)most probably will be served and squash.
Thursday--Cook-Out(if the weather cooperates)-not sure what yet beyond dogs and burgers.
Friday--Red Robin(#1 Son's birthday meal he requested)(entertainment budget, not food)
Saturday--Beef Stroganoff over rice or Chicken Enchiladas leftovers, Brussel Sprouts

(Sunday next will be whichever leftover we don't have on Saturday too, along with some veggies. lol)

On the shopping list so far--Monterey Jack & Swiss cheese, fruit, eggs, squash and corn, rolls, chips, ground beef for the cook-out so far.

 

I've got my $400 food budget for July available and ready to start spending.

That's what's appearing on the kitchen table this week here at Chez Sluggy.

 What's getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Sluggy

What is Your House Costing You?

Life is expensive.
Yah, like noooooobody  already knows that, right? ;-)

Everyone has to live somewhere and it's not free.
Whether you rent or own, there are expenses associated with housing.
Are you in a housing situation that you can afford?
The cost of where you hang your hat is more than just a rent check or a mortgage payment.
Do you know how much your home is really costing you?

Sharon over at Midlife Mom Musings and Morrison over at My Life In Focus asked that question a month or two ago in regard to home ownership--What is it costing you?

They figured out their expenses for the year that were directly affected or a result of their home.....things like the obvious mortgage, but also taxes, services like water, garbage disposal and sewage, as well as electricity(and propane or gas for cooking/heating) and insurance.  Money spent on home maintenance and repairs should also be included in your total. 

We own a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath,  2 story home with a 2 car garage, on a 1/4 acre lot in a small town outside of a metropolitan city area. The development the home sits in dates from the 1980's.  The house is just over 2,100 sq. ft.(not including the basement).

For 2012, my list of expenses included.....
Insurance-$596.00
Sewage---$407.40
Taxes----$3116.33
Garbage--$336.00
Electric-$2432.28
Water-----$743.31
Repairs---$265.00

What I didn't include was money spent on the lawn/landscaping/gas for the mower/plants/etc. as I don't have figures for those expenses handy.  Most of that was paid for in cash and I didn't keep the receipts.

My Housing costs for 2012 were $7,896.32 for the whole year, or $658.03 per month, which comes to $21.63 a day.

And if I take that figure of $658.03 and compare it to renting a comparable house here, it is at least $350ish less than it would cost me to rent one.  And that rent wouldn't include the utilities or renter's insurance.
So we are doing well staying put here for now.

The water is higher because we have a pool so we use more than someone without a pool.
The electric is higher because the home is all electric-heating and cooking.  We do not have central A/C....yet! ;-)

The main reason my home costs us so little is because we paid it off in 2007 so there is NO mortgage.

Compared to our net take home pay, we are spending well under the recommended 30% of our after tax income on housing.


So what's your house costing you every year?
Are you afraid to figure it out because you might not like what you see?
The first step to budgeting and figuring out what it cost you to live the life you are leading is to get a handle on what you spend.
Run the numbers.....it might surprise you to see what it costs you daily to stay in your current home.
You might find that your house is unsustainable for your income and you might be better off not owning it.

Sluggy