Spring Cometh Slowly

Posted on May 4, 2023 by cordeliasmom2012

Welcome to Buffalo, NY, where it can be 86 degrees Fahrenheit one day and 36 degrees Fahrenheit the next.

But I know spring is coming.  The dandelions have popped up everywhere and the robins have returned.  The bush behind the house is still bare of leaves, but I discovered a newly built robin’s nest:

How can birds created something in such a perfect circle?  I can’t even crochet perfectly, and I have hands and fingers!  Nature is awesome, isn’t it?  Hopefully, there will soon be eggs in that nest and I’ll be able to get some new photos.  I can hardly wait.

While I wait for spring, I’ve been working on my finances in anticipation of the termination of my job at the end of the year.  I’ve paid off my last two home improvement loans and am stocking up on non-perishable essential items like shampoo and soap – and yarn for crocheting.  I know that once my income drops, I will have to stop buying books and start going to the library again, but now that the COVID pandemic is over, I can deal with that.

Fortunatley, I refinanced the house a couple of years ago, thus reducing my monthly mortgage payment at that time by $120.  Unfortunately, the town then reassessed all properties and raised my  taxes by 55%, thus increasing my monthly payment by $100.  But the good thing is that when the house was purchased 5 years ago, I made sure the mortgage payment would still be affordable once I was fully retired and relying solely on Social Security – and I’m not dead in the water yet, even though I know those taxes will go up again this year and probably every year for as long as I own this house.

Today’s thorough review indicates that I could, in fact, manage without working when my job ends.  Social Security will cover all except about $40 a month of my expenses, and if I diligently save all my pennies for the next 7 months and add that to what I currently have in savings, I should be able to slide by for quite awhile.  So long as hubby is able to continue to work at least part-time – he’s carrying  the health insurance and paying for most of the groceries and Puppy Cody’s veterinary bills.

One can only hope and plan.  It’s going to be interesting to see what happens, financially speaking – but hey, if there’s suddenly no money for food, at least I have plenty of fat I can live off of.  It’s not they way I’d like to diet, but it wouldn’t be the first  time I had to decide between feeding myself or feeding the dog (the dog won).

Welcome to the world of old people struggling to survive on Social Security in the United States.  To all you younger readers – if you can invest in a 401-K, IRA, or retirement plan, do so.  Those options were never available to me.

Wish me luck, folks.  It’s going to be a wild ride.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Twitter page, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in Photography, That's Life | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Country Birthday with Dog

Posted on April 20, 2023 by cordeliasmom2012

Look at those eyes!

On Sunday, it was 86 degrees F in Buffalo, NY – a record.

(On Monday morning, it was 36 degrees F, but hey, that’s Buffalo.  Here you can experience all four seasons in a span of 24 hours.)

Now that the COVID pandemic has mostly passed, we feel more comfortable going out generally, and getting a chance to visit my daughter’s 12-acre “estate” and to meet the new granddog was something that simply couldn’t be passed up.

Meet Gunnar – a rescue dog whose DNA test revealed him to be 100% German Shepherd.  (I kind of dispute those results, but he is the spitting image of my Riggsie, who was purchased from a reputable local breeder, so who knows?  If Gunnar isn’t purebred, he’s at least 98%.)

Upon our arriving at the “estate”, Gunnar definitely showed that he will do his job to protect his family.  Good thing he was on leash as we we got out of the car, ’cause I gotta tell you, I would not mess with that dog!

However, he calmed down once he realized we were family and not there to harm anyone.

And then he became a very lovable [big] puppy.  If some of my photos are a little blurry, it’s because Gunnar slobbered on my camera lens.

Daughter and her husband recently put in a backyard pond:

Gunnar seems to enjoy the water (unlike most German Shepherds, which is why I think there may be just a teeny bit of lab in that mix), and is learning to swim:

Afterwards, it took two people to dry him off:

Then it was time to go inside for my wine-and-snack birthday.  I was so busy enjoying the spread that I forgot to take pictures of it.  But trust me, it was awesome and yummy.  There were even venizon meat sticks from a deer bagged right on their own property.  I tried not to think of Bambi and just savored the deliciousness.

Like every dog everywhere, Gunnar wanted his share of treats, and he’s being well-trained to wait patiently for them:

No stealing food off the table in that house – at least not when company’s present.

Gunnar makes me miss my Riggsie sooooo much.  What good boys they both are (were).

Puppy Cody went nuts when we arrived home after our festivities.   She knew we had been with another dog – how dare we?!  But after her own outside time (we don’t have a pond, thankfully), and lots of hugs and treats, she forgave us.

And now, having lost some of my blogging touch, I can’t figure out how to end this post, so I’ll just say I hope you all enjoyed reading about my birthday visit as much  as I enjoyed being there.

Hugs, all.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Twitter page, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in Pets, Photography, Relationships, That's Life | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

In the Doldrums

Posted on March 30, 2023 by cordeliasmom2012

I seem to be down to posting only once a month or so, and even that’s become a bit of a struggle.

Maybe I’m just bored.  Maybe my muse has forsaken me.  Or maybe my life has become so humdrum that I simply can’t come up with anything I feel would be interesting to my readers.

Most likely, all of the above.

I always said that when blogging was no longer fun, I would stop doing it.  When creating posts came to seem more like work than play, I started slowing down.

But once a blogger, always a blogger.  Even with no ideas afoot, I find myself sitting at the computer and typing nonsense like this.

Is it an obsession?  Is it a passion?  Is it a soft addiction?

Who knows, but every time I consider shutting down my blogs (and probably my photo sites), something stops me.  I think about all the blogging friends I’ve made over the years and I miss them.  I see my followers count continue to rise, and that makes me feel special.  Even though my photos have never been all that good, I consider that maybe, just maybe, someday I’ll be in the right place at the right time, with the right camera, to get that perfect shot.

Maybe someday I’ll become that writer I always wanted to be.  Others in my family have done that, bless their creative little hearts – and just ignore my unwarranted envy;  I’m really very proud of every wonderful, beautiful member of my family.

Recently, a colleague asked if I had taken any good photos lately, and I explained that I had become tired of both photography and writing.  He chuckled and said that once spring finally came to Buffalo, NY, I’d feel more artistic.

Perhaps he’s right.

So long as my readers are willing to stick around a bit longer, I’ll wait to shut everything down.  ‘Cause maybe, just maybe, that awesome, award-winning story will come to me yet.

Hugs, all.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Twitter page, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Image by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in That's Life | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments

Keeping Busy

Posted on February 9, 2023 by cordeliasmom2012

Beautiful, aren’t they?

It’s one way to keep me off the streets and out of trouble, and people do seem to love my baby/toddler crocheted afghans.

As well as my regular adult-sized afghans:

Which is a good thing ’cause I may soon have to up my little side hustle.  So far, I’ve given away more crocheted items than I’ve sold, and most of the ones I sold I did so at a significant loss simply because I love crocheting so much.

But that may change soon.  The law firm I work for will be closing up shop by the end of the year and I will be relying solely on Social Security to pay for housing, food and daily living expenses.  Not a happy scenario, as anyone on Social Security can tell you.

Hubby and I still have a mortgage payment and need to stay in the house at least until Puppy Cody is no longer with us.  Since she’s 9 now, I anticipate maintaining this home for another 3-5 years, at which time hubby and I will both be living only on Social Security and will be able to then move into an income-based senior apartment.

Meanwhile, we need to make ends meet.  We’re not hurting yet, but the day is coming.  At ripe old age of 70, I don’t know that I will be able to secure another part-time office job.  Assuming I even want to – these days I have a hard time simply getting from the house to the car, never mind fighting traffic and weather to get an office some distance away.  Definitely not how I envisioned my golden years when I  was in my 20s.

To make matters worse, New York State may be forcing everyone to convert to all-electric homes by 2030, and I understand the cost of conversion will run $35,00o to $40,000 per household, plus the subsequent costly electric bills  every month.  How are we supposed to afford all that? Needless to say, if we still own our home at that time, it will be a very strong incentive to sell and move into alternate housing.

Which brings me to my next point.

If anyone needs an excellent proofreader or beta reader, I’m your girl.  I maintain this website without (or hopefully without) any typographical errors and (hopefully) with proper grammar and easy reading.  I can do the same for you!

Check out my “Want Me? Hire Me!“ page.  You can get a jump on everyone else if you contact me now!  Rates are negotiable.  Go for it, folks! (Email: cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com)

Hugs to all – may you stay healthy and happy.

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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Twitter page, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
__________
Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio

Posted in That's Life | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments