Feeling Better Until I Think About Money

Well I lied it seems about stopping giving myself heparin shots.
My INR levels were still not within range so I had to continue the shots after Tuesday, but as of Thursday my levels are good so I am as of last night off the shots.
Woohoo!

But I am still on the Coumadin pills and will be for months to come.
I got myself to the dr. on Wednesday but am still not ready to go out ballroom dancing. ;-)
And I'm still having pain enough to need pills for that.
bleh.

I am navigating around the house better and taking the stairs on once or twice a day with the help of my trusty cane.

Next week I may try to walk to the mailbox.
Ooooo, how exciting! lol

Since my INR levels are sort of stable and good I have the green light to go on the Reunion trip next Friday......as long as my foot says I can go.

In other news, the second pay of the month came in and I sat down to look at and pay bills.  I've transferred gobs of money from the Savings Challenge account to cover the House repair/remodel bill which I am paying the last invoice for a week from Monday, the supplies we had to buy for the remodel/repairs and to cover the bulk of the Summer Road Trip of 2013.

Even after moving all that $ and paying September's bills(except for any cash Hubs took out today that I don't know about yet and the long distance bill which hasn't arrived yet-it's only about $10 per mo.)we have at the moment $571.58 left from this month's income.

But that doesn't account for at least 1 more prescription refill this month and any cash I need to withdraw for food for the rest of the month.
Bleh.

Looks like there won't be much leftover from September, if any!, to throw into the savings pot.

We had an almost $2K school tax bill this month which we were expecting but add in an almost $600 dog surgery bill and another $600+ for a car repair and there goes any money leftover at the end of September.
Plus we overspent on miscellaneous/souvenirs/gifts for Christmas on the Road Trip in August to the tune of $400 which we are absorbing the cost of from monthly income and not covering with savings.

And #2 Son chooses this moment to bring home an envelope from the Band about a trip to D.C. in May 2014 to the tune of $500.....
8-P
And this is even after we paid for a Disney World Band trip in 2012 and a big chunk of a Cleveland Band trip in 2013 and we've told him that any further band trips are on HIS dime!
Kids.....

And that's right after he took advantage of my weakened/sick state to wheedle $200+  out of me for new clothes(which he Did need).
ugh.
Kids.....

I am not a happy woman right at the moment as far as the money is concerned.

But I know things will be ok since we have no large irregular expenses from now until the end of 2013, so 3 months of income to try to save a portion of with no big obstacles.

Plus we have an extra paycheck month coming in November which I am going to try to put back into savings and not spend any from that!

We've got some Reunion trip spending coming up(only 2 nights so shouldn't be much extra)and a quick trip to OC in October(again, not too costly as it's a partial week and if we can stay out of the outrageously expensive restaurants down there we'll be golden)but overall expenses for the next 3 months look aok.  While Christmas will require some spending it shouldn't be too bad because I'm not a "let's spend all willy-nilly and not care what it costs at Christmas" type of person.

So I'm going to put the financial books away for a bit and not think about that all right now.

I'm off to get this foot elevated and go pop another Percocet.  Between the foot and talking about spending all this money, I don't know which hurts me worse.  8-))

Sluggy


 

Week 3 of the Boring Blog Box Giveaway is now Open!

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......2 items to make your joints and eyes feel better, 1 item to make your skin feel better and 1 item to make your eyes purty......

 

1.  1 Glade Scented oil Candleholder w/candle

2.  1 Got2B Collagen Hair Treatment Sprayer

3.  1 tube of NYC Lip Gloss-Clear

4.  2 bottles of NYC Nail Polish--a pink color and a bluish/purple glitter color

 

 Over $20 retail worth of HBAs!

 

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 address and a COMMENT on this post.  

This week I want to hear about any good recipes you have using fresh seasonal products.
Pies, soups, side dishes, main dishes, or whatever using tomatoes, squashes, apples, pears, or whatever else is in season where you live.

I try to make my pepper relish this time of year when the bell peppers are bountiful and cheap, as well as apple dumplings and pies as the new crop of apples is coming in around here.  Fall is also fall/winter squash time and I want to try making butternut squash filled raviolis.
 

 

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 besides the daily comment.......

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.

 

Two more weeks/posts after this and the box will be full and ready to pick a winner.

Any questions?  Just email me.

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

My Genealogy Tests Came Back

My mitochondrial DNA test results, or mtDNA,  came back last Sunday night.
That's the test that delves into your maternal genes or your X side of the chromosomes.

It can tell you where in the world your mother's, mother's, mother's, etc. to your first female ancestor, where their DNA originated.

This geographic region and pattern of migration is called your Haplogroup.
You can be tested for both your mtDNA haplogroup and your Y-DNA haplogroup, which is the DNA from your father's, father's, father's, etc. back to your first male ancestor.

While these 2 tests only give you all the way back on your paternal male line and your maternal female line, it's a start to help prove or disprove your paper trail of ancestors.

Since I am female, I can only have my mtDNA tested, as I don't carry a Y chromosome.  To get my Y-DNA tested I need to have a male relative, either a brother, father, uncle or grandfather on my paternal side of the family tested too.  Having my sons tested won't help, as they carry their father's Y-DNA, not my father's Y-DNA.
I paid for and my only male relative agreed to take the test but he hasn't sent it back yet.  Until he does I won't have a complete picture of the possible Y-DNA information for my genealogy research.

Anyway, back to my mtDNA test results.
Aren't you excited? lolz

My haplogroup is........ J*

Any other Js out there??

About J........it arose from the larger group called JT, and T also broke off and became it's own Haplogroup.

I fellow named Sykes wrote a book a bit ago, in which he says that though we all came from 1 woman, the first "Eve" located somewhere in Africa, the "daughters of Eve" gave rise to the Haplogroups around the world.  These early women each experienced mutations in their mtDNA combined with their migration around the planet gave rise to the differences in humankind around the world.

J or "Jasmine" as Sykes calls her, was a female who lived about 45,000 years ago in the Near East or the Caucasus who developed a mutation in her DNA.  Further mutations occurred in this J Haplogroup at various time frames between 27,000 to 5,800 years later which led to "subclades" or further subgroups of J---- J1a1, J1a2, J1b, J2a, J2b1, J2b2, J2b3.

Haplogroup J mtDNA humans migrated from the Near/East/Caucasus to colonize Europe during the late Paleolithic and Mesolithic eras.

Using the variations in mutations among the J mtDNA persons, scientists have been able to separate the "Jasmines" into 2 groups migrating into Europe---those that took a southerly route via water and the Mediterranean Sea into Europe and those who took the land route through the Balkans and up through central Europe.
My mutations indicate that I am a "Land Route Jasmine" who went to Europe the hard way.
Figures......I seem to do everything the hard way. 8-)
"Jasmines" are associated with and figure prominently into the Neolithic era spread of agriculture, or farming superseding hunting/gathering as a lifestyle around 10,000 years ago.

Distributed over the entire world's population, J Haplogroup has it's highest distribution in the Near East(12%), followed by Europe(11%), the Caucasus(8%), and North Africa(6%).
Within Europe, J Haplogroup is quite low, at only 12% of all native Europeans.

Here is a chart with the breakdown of percentages of Js and it's subclades in Europe.....

J* = Ireland — 12%, England-Wales — 11%, Scotland — 9%, Orkney — 8%, Germany — 7%, Russia (European) — 7%, Iceland — 7%, Austria-Switzerland — 5%, Finland-Estonia — 5%, Spain-Portugal — 4%, France-Italy — 3%

J1a = Austria-Switzerland — 3%

J1b1 = Scotland — 4%

J2 = France-Italy — 2%

J2a = Homogenously spread in Europe. Absent in the nations around the Caucasus. Not known to be found elsewhere.

J2b1 = Virtually absent in Europe. Found in diverse forms in the Near East.

It is theorized that some of the recombinations/mutations among J humans produced higher body temperatures, thus some subgroups of J Haplogroup populations do better in colder climates.
This might help to explain how Js adapted to all that Northern Western European climes like Ireland, Switzerland, and Scandinavian countries and why I like to walk around barefoot in the snow..... ;-)

Medically, Js are thought to be less susceptible to diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.  They have also found that some isolated groups of J populations tend to be longer lived than the general population.
On the other side, Js are MORE susceptible to the HIV virus so if exposed, they are highly likely to develop AIDS and do so rather quickly.
Js are associated with a fairly rare hereditary disease called Leber's hereditary optical neuropathy.
Try saying THAT 10 x real fast!

I saw a study where they are studying how a woman's mtDNA can cause her partner's sperm to lose mobility, making for infertility problems with the couple.  They suspect that women with mtDNA of Haplogroup T may have this condition.  Interesting stuff genetics.......

So what does all this mean?
It just confirms that once again, the evidence comes back to support that I am the whitest woman on the planet! lolz

Anyway, that's my earth shattering genealogical news for today.

Next time I'll enthrall all of y'all with my HVR1 and HVR2 mutations.
I know you can't wait!! ;-)

Until then, enjoy this silly video....



Sluggy




 

What's On The Dining Table

The "Best Laid Plans Go Awry" Edition......

 Here's what was planned last week--

Sunday--Hamburgers, Green Beans, Roasted Potatoes and Onions
Monday--Cheddar Broccoli Soup(garden broccoli)
Tuesday--Tacos (I  had leftover roasted potatoes and onions instead.)
Wednesday--Eggplant Parmesan(sauce using garden tomatoes), Caprese Salad, Garlic Bread
Thursday--Roasted Chicken, Carrots, Onions, Stuffing
Friday--London Broil/Green Beans Stir fry, Rice
Saturday--Fish fry, Beets, Coleslaw

And here's what actually got eaten--

Sunday--Hamburgers, Green Beans, Roasted Potatoes and Onions
Monday--Cheddar Broccoli Soup(garden broccoli)
Tuesday--Tacos (I had leftover taters and onions.)
Wednesday--Eggplant Parmesan, Green Salad(leftover greens, garden tomatoes)
Thursday--leftovers(I had broccoli soup.)
Friday--Chinese take-out
Saturday--leftovers (I had a turkey sandwich.)

So Wed., Thur., and Fri. meals are moved yet again to this coming week

  

As for food spending last week.....I spent $29.44 on $65.36 worth of groceries at 1 store.  Actually Hubs spent the $ as I was in no shape to go shopping from Wednesday on.

As for food waste, we had a cantaloupe go bad since I was indisposed and nobody else it seems can clean a cantaloupe so we could eat it. 8-(  A hunk of my homemade bread also got too stale to eat so it became squirrel food.

  

Leftovers going into this week--a hunk of London broil, a butt load of green beans and tomatoes from the garden.

Here's this week's meal plan---
 

Sunday--Leftovers (I had my leftover Chinese Food.)
Monday--Leftover London Broil cut thin for beef hoagies(with caramelized onions and melted provolone cheese), stir fried Green Beans
Tuesday--Roasted Chicken with Onions & Carrots, Stuffing(for the menfolk), Cranberry "Glop"
Wednesday--Frozen Pizzas(I can have a small piece), Caprese Salad
Thursday--Broccoli Casserole, maybe Pork chops if I can dig them out, Applesauce
Friday--no clue but will probably involve tomatoes and/or green beans lolz
Saturday--ditto

On the shopping list......Hubs already bought steak rolls, provolone cheese, lettuce, a loaf of wheat bread(for his lunch sandwiches), so I still need, frozen pizzas, a ball of fresh mozzarella and basil, milk, perhaps some more broccoli and who knows what else!  If Hubs feels like doing a major shop I'll say $100 for this plus picking up some more deals for this week to use next week.  Goodness knows I have only spent just over $103 to this point in September of the food budget, due to not being able to get to the store with my foot, so I can afford a big shopping trip. 8-)

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

Hurrying Up & Waiting

My week isn't turning out how I wanted it to, though last week was similar, so I am not surprised the way it's going.

I am feeling better though.  No more redneck porta-potty here now thank goodness.  I can put more weight on my foot and do a tiny bit of walking(if you can call it that).
I actually got UP the stairs Saturday night to my wonderful bed for the first time since Thursday morning when I butt scooted down the staircase.  It was heavenly to actually get to sleep laying down.....ahhhhhh!
By Sunday afternoon I was able to sort of walk down again and walk back up for bedtime again that evening.  So now I am at least mobile enough to take short trips within the house from room to room if I rest the foot in between.

I also learned that not only can you get a blood clot in a leg from inactivity(like sitting or standing too long in one position), you can also get one from too much activity.  Who would have thunk that?!

I am still on Percocet however and that is what is helping me get through the day and get to sleep at night.  It takes the pain from an unbearable level to a tolerable one.
I have a fairly high pain threshold(demonstrated by having 1 of my babies naturally with NO painkillers at all and having a cavity drilled out and filled with no novocaine once)but being in pain nostop with no relief for days on end isn't my idea of a picnic. After 2 days of that, I break down and beg for it to stop.

I am now worried that this clot problem will keep me from attending a family reunion the weekend after the coming one.  I have my heart set on going to this so I am doing everything they tell me so I can get well enough to go.

The nurses are still coming to the house to draw blood for INR levels as they try to get me to between a 2 and 3 with the Coumadin in my system.  After 4 days of taking either 1, 1.5 or 2 pills I was still only at a 1.19 level so they had me take a quadruple dose(4 pills)last night.  Please pray that the docs get me stabilized at a 2-3 INR level with this drug soon so I don't have to miss the reunion. 8-)

Today is the last day I give myself shots...yippee!  I confess I am not very good as a shot giver, even to myself.  I still say Hubs missed his calling in life as he gives great shot. ;-)

I obviously couldn't keep the dr. appointment they scheduled for me yesterday as I can't walk to nor get INTO the car yet.  So they rescheduled it for tomorrow......and I think that is optimistic at best. lol

I need to get my Meal Plan for the week done too.  But it's hard to do when I can't get into the garage yet to check the freezer to see what I have in it to cook and I can't get to the store to shop yet.
I can send Hubs for a few things at a time but a full list overwhelms him.
Maybe I can get downstairs later after my noon shot and figure something out.

I picked the green beans I could reach yesterday from the deck as I had to be out there to put out the dogs.  There is also broccoli that needs picking today so I'm hoping Hubs will do that for me when he gets home.
I wanted to get to the farm stand this week to get red bell peppers to make pepper relish as the window of opportunity that they will have them and I will have green tomatoes on my plants still is closing.  If I have to pay reg. grocery store prices for those I can't afford to make the relish and I am almost out of it, and the season when I can make it again is a year off. sigh

My September is not going as expected so far.
By now I had hoped to have the remodel finished and the Etsy store opened, as well as getting the eBay stuff back listed again. I only have 14 listings ready for Etsy out of about 200 pieces of fabric to put in that store.  sigh again

As for the remodel....Hubs had to buy new baseboard moulding, as some of what he removed when we went to do the painting can't be reused, plus one of the walls in the rooms is quite bowed and with the carpet up and the hardwood flooring down, the width of the gap between the wall and the edge of the flooring is wider than the old moulding.  So we had to get new baseboard and quarter round pieces as well to extend the mouldings.  Hubs picked it all up(thank goodness we didn't have to order it and wait another 2 weeks for it!)and got it painted over the weekend....I think the quarter round lengths need a second coat though, so he'll do that this weekend.  Then we have to call the guys to schedule them to come back to install all the crown and baseboard mouldings.  It might take one day but probably will go into a second day to finish the job.

Once the guys are done, then we have to touch-up the paint job and then start filling the room with furniture and figure out WHERE to put it.  Oh, and I have to make the curtains too.
It's always something, right? lol

So that' how life here at Chez Sluggy has been going lately.

What's up at your house?

Sluggy