Upstairs neighbors!

I know a lot of people would never live in a down stairs apartment but with me it is a necessity. I have severe arthritis in both hips and right knee. I have already had my left knee replaced a couple of years ago. But, be that as it may, my upstairs neighbor has been pounding on something, that sounds like the floor, for the past half hour. It is very difficult to concentrate on what I am doing. I like to read. I read a lot. I would rather read than watch television but with her pounding and what sounds like jumping up and down, it is really hard to concentrate on what I am reading so I decided to try to do a little net surfing. That isn't easy with all the racket either. What can you do? I really don't want to complain to the office an become a nuisance because I have to live here. I guess I will just have to suffer with it. Although she could have a little consideration for the people that live in the same building.

Enough of that. Bill gave me a USB speaker system for my computer because the sound went out on my computer. It doesn't work. I guess I will just have to live with it for a while. I am hoping that next January when I get my income tax refund back I will have enough to get a new computer.

Oh well, there really isn't much else to say right now. I did go to Walmart and bought the movie "Twilight" and the newest book "Breaking Dawn" which is the fourth book in the series. Tammie said it was better than the other three. I watched the movie and I thought it was really good. It wasn't as good as the book but as far as movies go, this was really good.

I am going to get back to reading. I will write more later

Kat

Back to Work

Well, I guess you all know I am back to work now after my vacation. It always goes by so fast. I had such a wonderful time with Tammie and Mom! We didn't really do anything much except hang out together and we went out to eat several times. Of course Mom had to go to "Joe's Crab Shack". That was a given. We went to Walmart several times too. I don't know what it is about that store but it always seems to have everything I need and it is just so easy to relax there.

Man, I sound like a commercial testimonial! That isn't what I mean to do, it just comes out like that.

Well, Tammie's dog, "Hokey", a nine month old Boston Bull dog, was along for the ride when they came down for vacation. He is the cutest thing but boy is he a fart head. He even answered to that by the time they were ready to leave. He loved to jump on my lap and play at biting my fingers and licking my arms when I was trying to read. But you can't help but love the little stinker.

While Tammie was here she had the book, "Twilight". After she was finished reading it I had to take her to Barnes and Noble to get the other two books in the series. She read all three books while she was here and then left them here for me to read. Now, to be honest, I was never really thrilled about the hype that I had been hearing about the books and the movie so I started reading it with less than enthusiasm. It wasn't long before I caught the gist of the book. I never really cared about teenage love but this book is pretty good. I am finished with the first two books and am now starting on the third one. I am addicted to reading and I have to finish what I start. I am a little more enthusiastic now than I was in the beginning. I think I would like to see the movie now that I have read the books. Just to see how Hollywood brings it to life. Most of the time when I read a book and a movie is made from it I am bitterly disappointed in the movie. Who knows, maybe it is an unwritten law that the movies have to suck.

Well, to all of my friends and family, if you still read my blog, I can't wait for Mom and Tammie to get moved down here. Of course, like all siblings, there will be times of discord but all in all it will be great to have family around. It has been way to long since I have had family around on a permanent basis.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!


Later
Kat

On Vacation!

Well, I am officially on vacation for the entire week. Unfortunately, due to the "Cash for Clunkers" program that our illustrious leader has implemented, I will have to go in to work for a few hours Monday. The program is basically a good deal for the consumer but a raging nightmare for the dealers.

There are a certain set of criteria that must be met to even qualify for the "Clunker" program. Then there is so much paperwork that has to be compiled to send to the government before we can even get our money back. The "Clunkers" have to be made unusable and then junked. We have to void all the titles by writing "Junk Car, CARS.com" across the front and back of the title.

I can't believe how many people have no idea where their car title is! It just boggles the mind! How can you not know where the title to your vehicle is? If people truly understood the lengths one must go through to get a duplicate title, they would be more careful. But, they really don't care until the time comes for them to sell or trade their vehicle. And to obtain a out of state duplicate title is more than just a nightmare! It practically takes an act of congress and notarized statement to get the title. With all of the privacy laws that have been enacted over the past few years it really is incredibly difficult to even obtain a lien release from the lien holder unless the customer is sitting right there in front of you when you call the lien holder. I can understand the need for privacy. What I don't understand is the lack of intelligence on the public's part when it comes to important documents.

I deal with the department of motor vehicles on a daily basis. I know what is required by most states to get titles. We have even tried charging customers $50.00 for applying for lost titles and they will pay it just so they don't have to be bothered with it. If you ask me it isn't enough. We should charge more especially if it is an out of state title!

But that is just my opinion.

Mom and Tammie arrived last night and we went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner. It was great and the food was delicious. I love going there. Julie went with us and we all had a great time. While I am off work this week we are going to go look a some houses just to get an idea of what price range we will be able to afford. They also want to go gem mining so I am going to take them to Ceaser's Head sometime this week also. Julie and I had a great time when we went a few years ago. I don't have a lot of money right now but hey, it will be a fun drive.

I guess that is about all I have to write about now. I will chat more later.

By the way, Tammie brought her puppy, "Hokey" with her and is he adorable. He is a nine month old Boston Bull dog and the most loving and playful thing you would ever find. He is so sweet.

Gotta Go.
Kat

My New Home!

I finally got moved into my new apartment on Monday, August 3rd. I am still unpacking and boy has it been an experience.

My insurance company hired ServPro to come in and pack my things and take them to their facility for cleaning and restoration. They were there quickly and I have no problem with that. However, when it came time to have my things delivered to my new home it was a completely different matter.

They were very professional when it came to delivering my things on time and getting them into the apartment quickly. The packing however was total chaos! My good china was in a dozen different boxes. Some were marked bedroom, some bathroom, some office equipment and even one was marked kitchen. I was surprised nothing was broken. I still haven't found the lid to my soup turine. The cordless phone I had in my living room was in three different boxes. The handset was in with the china, the base was in with living room nick nacks and the cords were in the electronics box. To top it all off my clothes, shoes, bed linens and bath towels were not even delivered. When I called to find out why they said that they were sent to a different company for cleaning and would be delivered next monda. Until then I had to borrow sheets for the bed from a friend and go buy new bath towels so I wouldn't have to drip dry after my shower.

How is that for an experience. It wasn't stressfull enough that I was forced from my home due to someone elses carelessness but then I had to deal with this. Let me tell you I let my insurance adjuster know what I thought and I let ServPro know also that I was not a happy camper. I pray I never have to go through this again. And that no one else I know will have to go through it either.

Gotta go for now.

Kat

My New Home!

Well, it looks like I will be moving into my new apartment next Monday. I can't wait. I will miss Julie, of course, but I guess I am just used to being alone and so is Julie. It will be nice to get settled again. I feel like I have been in limbo for the past month. Julie has been wonderful and we get along great but it still isn't my home, if you know what I mean. Jan told me that she is taking Monday as a personal day so that she can help me get moved in. Isn't that the sweetest thing? I just love her for that. Her mother lives in the same building that I am moving into so she can check on her mother as well as helping me out tremendously. I am blessed to have caring friends like that. I have a job and I am basically healthy, except for the arthritis, but that's another story.

I have also decided to make a nutritional life change once I am settled into my new home. My arthritis in my knee and hips is getting so bad that I can barely walk when I get up after sitting for a while. There are some nights that the pain wakes me up in the middle of the night it hurts so bad. The doctor has already mentioned a hip replacement and a knee replacement. With the medical bills and the economy the way it is there is no way that I can have that kind of surgery. I have already had one knee replaced back in 2006 and I am still paying the bills. Of course I have insurance but that only covers 70% of the bill plus I have a $1200.00 deductible that I would have to pay. With the wages I earn there is no way that I can work that into my budget at this time. Therefore, losing weight, and a lot of it, will benefit me beyond measure. Of course I have a great deal of weight to lose. Over 170lbs to be exact. That is what I will need to lose to get down to my ideal weight. I am no longer twenty something which means that it will take me much longer and with a very slow metabolism it will be even more difficult. Being over fifty years old doesn't make it any easier either. But I am motivated and I really need to do this.

I realise that losing weight will not cure all of my ills nor will it turn my life into a fantasy, but it will help my self esteem as well as the medical ramifications. I would join Weight Watchers again but right now I can't even afford that so I will just surf the net for low fat and low calorie recipes. If you have any please fell free to e-mail them to me. I would greatly appreciate them.

It is time for me to say good bye for now. I will keep you all in my prayers.


Kat

What's with the young men?

What is with the youth of today? I ask you! Do they really think it is cool to walk around in pants that are not only three sizes too large but ride so low on their butts that they have to hold them up when they walk so they don't fall down around their ankles? Not only that! They let their boxers show! What happened to common courtesy? Who wants to see someones underwear?

If you ask me they are just begging for an "atomic wedgie".

I am all for self expression. Really I am. But come on! There is such a thing as going to far. I would rather see tattoos and body piercings, than some kids underwear and their pants around their knees.

Maybe it is a form of rebellion against convention. I know when I was a kid parents thought bell bottom pants and long hair was scandalous. At least we didn't have to hold up our pants to walk around.

I guess as we get older and the new generations come of age, we will always find something to complain about. "Things just weren't done that way when I was young" type of things. I can't wait to see what the next generation will come up with!

I love the south!!!

I moved to South Carolina in July of 1995 from Indiana. I must say that I have never regretted the move. I had never lived in the south before and never even visited South Carolina before the move. When we arrived in Greenville, the weather was hot and sultry. I could see the mountains in the distance shrouded in a light gray mist that I could almost feel. And the green of the area was so bright it looked animated. The best part of arriving in Greenville was the feeling I got in my heart and in my stomach when we crossed the North Carolina/South Carolina boarded. I felt like I had finally come home. I grew up in Indiana, graduated from high school there. I moved to Pennsylvania where I lived for over twelve years and I even spent a few months in Florida, but I had never in my life felt that feeling of coming home. Of belonging, until I came to Greenville South Carolina.

Most of the people I have met are friendly and hospitable. There are those of course, who are still fighting "The war of northern aggression" and make no bones about letting "Yankees" know just how they feel. But all in all, I love the south. I can almost say "y'all" like a native!

That's it for now. I just wanted to let you know that being in the south is not synonymous with stupid. There are many very intellegent and talented people born and bred in the south.

Good luck and may you always look for the best in any situation no matter how dyer.

Kat