what are you doing right now?

[azucena]

Just dropped $150 on mostly tramontina pans and a blue diamond griddle pan. When they are delivered, they will be used with silicon utensils only under penalty of death or repayment of the said $150.

Also through in a rice cooker while I was at it. Could be useful to help us eat healthier.

Meanwhile, DD15 was off school today and is currently texting me from her bedroom to make nuggets. So not gonna happen. I'm leaving her unread to drive her extra crazy.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Jan 12, 2024 18:22:18 GMT -5 azucena said:

Jan 12, 2024 17:54:12 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

Sometimes the library has electronic versions of cookbooks. I check out books that way and read magazines. I also have Kindle unlimited right now. I keep saying I'm going to cancel it but I have a lot of books stacked up right now. I do buy some things but most stuff I read too quickly for that. I'd be buried in books. If I really want it and can't find it electronically, I try to find a used version now.

I use the IP risotto recipe chiver shared. It's very versatile. I keep 1 cup portions of shredded chicken in the freezer. I that and some peas in after cooking along with the parmesan.

I'm waiting on mini cheesecakes to finish baking. The dough for rolls is rising. Having Christmas finally with my dad on Sunday and these are my contributions.

Thriftbooks.com is great for this.

You guys introduced me to that website. Bunch of enablers.

It's okay I passed the addiction to my coworker. Blew his mind.🤣

I've been using it lately to get out of print books. I got three more of The Last Vampire books by Christopher Pike and I've completed the set.

[Pink Cashmere]

Jan 12, 2024 17:42:44 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

We are currently forecast for overnight lows Monday and Tuesday of 20 and 19 respectively.  At this moment, it appears the freezing precipitation line might be slightly north of my area.  

Today I watered the potted plants in the shop and put a double covering over them.  We also double covered the one plant in the front beds I want to keep alive.  At the forecast temps, it's iffy if any plants will survive.  I'm just hoping the electrical grid holds, and that the generator runs if the grid dies.  And that the water pipes don't blow and/or we go under a boil-water notice.


countrygirl2 Hope your grandson's musical performance was enjoyable.


Pink Cashmere Great to hear the heating thing is fixed.  


NomoreDramaQ1015 Your new IP is also wonderful for producing safe water if your community issues a boil-water notice.  I figure 30 minutes at high pressure with natural release kills anything and everything.  Mine got a real work out back in '21

I am concerned about our weather forecast, even without the snow. 

We have started losing power sometimes where I live now, even though our power lines are buried. People that have lived in the same area for decades have been complaining about losing power recently, when it’s never been an issue for them. 

I am also concerned about my other house. During the years I lived there, it didn’t take much for the power to go out. It is a huge weight off of me that the heat got repaired today, but that doesn’t matter if the power to the house goes out. 

Starting tomorrow night, when the temperature goes below freezing again, it’s not forecast to get above freezing again until Thursday. That is no good. I’m not built for that, my house isn’t built for that, our infrastructure is also clearly not built for that. 

I am prepared to just stay home if it snows Monday, until the streets are cleared. But I am still concerned about what might happen with my house, with the sustained cold weather and the prediction of snow on Monday. 

Last winter when it snowed, power loss was widespread across the entire area, and DS ended up bringing himself, my Mom, DD and my Grandbabies to camp out at my house for a few days, because nobody had power except for Mister and I. 

When I went to my house earlier today, because the heat was out, it just confirmed for me, the reasons why I just really don’t want to deal with my Mom in person, even just for a visit. There or at my home. I feel bad for thinking that way, and horrible for “saying” it, but it’s just the truth. She already tends to wreck my nerves, but the stuff she has going on now, is way too much for me to try to deal with. I just can’t. If that makes me a bad person or daughter, oh well. I just know that I would most definitely end up in the loony bin or somewhere like it, if I had to share a space with my Mom these days. 

I have told her nicely and not so nicely that she needs to be somewhere where people get paid to tend to her issues. I might as well be talking to a tree though, for what good it does me to keep saying that. But ME, I can’t do it. I can’t, I can’t……. I can’t!

So if the power goes out over there, just go ahead and shoot me in the head, because imma die anyway if the only way to keep my Mom warm and safe is to bring her to my house.

[raeoflyte]

I've wow'd ds by finding some hard to come by books there. Pretty sure his Christmas gift a couple years ago were old library books from that site. Which was kinda funny - but talk about more effort than amazon.com. I had looked for those everywhere and given up.

[Opti]

Dad in hospital with UTI and Sepsis. On phone hoping to find out more. Text was a couple hours ago. 

[raeoflyte]

Sorry opti. That sucks.

[Opti]

Yep. I've been on hold and I think its dinner time. They are probably waiting for me to drop the call because they are busy. This day has been heck. Friday January 12th. Worse than a Friday 13th just because it wanted to be.

I will try later.

[swamp]

Jan 12, 2024 16:58:10 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Our weather forecast is dreadful. The detail keep changing, but it’s still dreadful.

After tomorrow, the temps won’t get above freezing again until Thursday afternoon. And there is currently a 70% chance of snow on Monday. Idk how much snow they are predicting, but it doesn’t take much to shut the whole area down. Especially since I am guessing that the ground will be cold enough for even a little snow to stick instead of melting when it reaches the ground.

Mister has been saying he wanted to make sure the Jeep and the Tahoe both had full tanks of gas, and his plan is to take care of that when he gets off work today. After the back end of the Tahoe got loose the only time he’s driven it on snow and ice, and started sliding when he was at a red light I’m pretty sure he intends to drive the Jeep instead. He HATES the Jeep, but he has been forced to acknowledge it’s his best bet when there is snow on the ground, ever since the day his car got stuck in the driveway as soon as he got it out of the garage and all 4 tires were on snow, and it took some work, involving a shovel, just to get it back in the garage. When he finally got it back in the garage, he said let’s see if the Jeep can get out, and was really being petty, because he hates the Jeep.  But we got in the Jeep (I always back it down the driveway), and it rolled right out, like an champ, even though our driveway isn’t flat, and you have to go “up” to get out. So guess what he drove to work the next day. The Jeep that he hates.

The Tahoe has 4WD too, but it is a lot bigger than my tiny 2 door Jeep. So, even though they both have 4WD, it matters that the Tahoe is much longer, especially if it’s light in the ass (no weight in the back), while the Jeep doesn’t even really have an ass in the first place. 

Imo, ice is different and all vehicles are shit when it comes to ice.

Anyway, I filled the Jeep’s gas tank on my way back home today, so that would be one less thing he has to do, and since I’m pretty sure it’s going to be his vehicle of choice if there is snow on the ground when he goes back to work Tuesday. Me personally, I am still not going anywhere if there is snow on the ground. My nerves don’t care that I have a Jeep to drive, and I don’t trust Mister’s driving. I  did drive it to work last year after the snow had started melting and some of the streets were clear in spots, but every time I got to a long stretch of snow, I still freaked out and my heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of my chest. It seems that I am traumatized for life, from my experience trying to get home from school when I had drove to school and they let us out early because it was snowing so much. My brain won’t let me forget the sheer terror I felt when I’ve had a car sliding out of my control. I’ve tried it since then, and lost control often enough, even though I was being careful, and that just reinforced how much it scares me, so I mostly just don’t even try anymore when I know the streets are bad.

Dumb question though, I thought it could be “too cold” to snow. The high Monday will be only 22°, the day snow is predicted to fall.

That is not too cold to,snow.  That is prime snow temp. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Jan 12, 2024 18:36:04 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dad in hospital with UTI and Sepsis. On phone hoping to find out more. Text was a couple hours ago. 

That sucks.

[Pink Cashmere]

Jan 12, 2024 18:25:10 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

Jan 12, 2024 16:58:10 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Our weather forecast is dreadful. The detail keep changing, but it’s still dreadful.

After tomorrow, the temps won’t get above freezing again until Thursday afternoon. And there is currently a 70% chance of snow on Monday. Idk how much snow they are predicting, but it doesn’t take much to shut the whole area down. Especially since I am guessing that the ground will be cold enough for even a little snow to stick instead of melting when it reaches the ground.

Mister has been saying he wanted to make sure the Jeep and the Tahoe both had full tanks of gas, and his plan is to take care of that when he gets off work today. After the back end of the Tahoe got loose the only time he’s driven it on snow and ice, and started sliding when he was at a red light I’m pretty sure he intends to drive the Jeep instead. He HATES the Jeep, but he has been forced to acknowledge it’s his best bet when there is snow on the ground, ever since the day his car got stuck in the driveway as soon as he got it out of the garage and all 4 tires were on snow, and it took some work, involving a shovel, just to get it back in the garage. When he finally got it back in the garage, he said let’s see if the Jeep can get out, and was really being petty, because he hates the Jeep.  But we got in the Jeep (I always back it down the driveway), and it rolled right out, like an champ, even though our driveway isn’t flat, and you have to go “up” to get out. So guess what he drove to work the next day. The Jeep that he hates.

The Tahoe has 4WD too, but it is a lot bigger than my tiny 2 door Jeep. So, even though they both have 4WD, it matters that the Tahoe is much longer, especially if it’s light in the ass (no weight in the back), while the Jeep doesn’t even really have an ass in the first place. 

Imo, ice is different and all vehicles are shit when it comes to ice.

Anyway, I filled the Jeep’s gas tank on my way back home today, so that would be one less thing he has to do, and since I’m pretty sure it’s going to be his vehicle of choice if there is snow on the ground when he goes back to work Tuesday. Me personally, I am still not going anywhere if there is snow on the ground. My nerves don’t care that I have a Jeep to drive, and I don’t trust Mister’s driving. I  did drive it to work last year after the snow had started melting and some of the streets were clear in spots, but every time I got to a long stretch of snow, I still freaked out and my heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of my chest. It seems that I am traumatized for life, from my experience trying to get home from school when I had drove to school and they let us out early because it was snowing so much. My brain won’t let me forget the sheer terror I felt when I’ve had a car sliding out of my control. I’ve tried it since then, and lost control often enough, even though I was being careful, and that just reinforced how much it scares me, so I mostly just don’t even try anymore when I know the streets are bad.

Dumb question though, I thought it could be “too cold” to snow. The high Monday will be only 22°, the day snow is predicted to fall.

You can add a bag of potting soil, scrap wood or whatever else you have to add weight to your vehicles.

That’s what I was thinking. Mister said something about buying bags of sand to put in the back of the Tahoe to add some weight. I have 3 large unopened bags of potting soil, plus one that was opened, but still mostly full, and 3 large unopened bags of compost material. I know they are heavy, because I’m the one that wrestled with them to get them to where they are stored. There are also the heavy pavers on the border of the space I created for the container I grew vegetables in last summer. They aren’t really serving a purpose right now, so can be used too, if necessary. We’d just have to put them back before grass starts growing again. I also still have boxes of shit from my side gig, that are heavy, think how heavy books or a bunch of magazines and catalogs can be. A lot of it is still in the Jeep, and the reason why the back seat is still folded forward and unusable, even though my side gig is done until next fall, just because the boxes and tote I use are so heavy that I haven’t wanted to fool with getting it all out of the Jeep. 

My point being that there is a lot of stuff around the house that we can use for added weight in a vehicle, and not buy a bunch of bags of sand just for that. The Jeep already has a bunch of heavy shit in it, add the bags of soli and compost on top of the crap that’s already in it, until you run out of vertical height, and done! Even though it’s really the Tahoe that has the issue of being light in the ass. So put all of that and whatever else, in the back of the Tahoe, and be done. I just don’t see a need to buy a bunch of bags of sand for that purpose.

I’ve read that the right kind of sand can be beneficial to add to soil when you are growing certain types of vegetables, but I don’t see me being able to use the amount of sand he was talking about buying. It makes more sense to me, to just use stuff we already have, that can serve the same purpose for adding weight to the vehicle.

[Pink Cashmere]

Jan 12, 2024 18:58:28 GMT -5 swamp said:

Jan 12, 2024 16:58:10 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Our weather forecast is dreadful. The detail keep changing, but it’s still dreadful.

After tomorrow, the temps won’t get above freezing again until Thursday afternoon. And there is currently a 70% chance of snow on Monday. Idk how much snow they are predicting, but it doesn’t take much to shut the whole area down. Especially since I am guessing that the ground will be cold enough for even a little snow to stick instead of melting when it reaches the ground.

Mister has been saying he wanted to make sure the Jeep and the Tahoe both had full tanks of gas, and his plan is to take care of that when he gets off work today. After the back end of the Tahoe got loose the only time he’s driven it on snow and ice, and started sliding when he was at a red light I’m pretty sure he intends to drive the Jeep instead. He HATES the Jeep, but he has been forced to acknowledge it’s his best bet when there is snow on the ground, ever since the day his car got stuck in the driveway as soon as he got it out of the garage and all 4 tires were on snow, and it took some work, involving a shovel, just to get it back in the garage. When he finally got it back in the garage, he said let’s see if the Jeep can get out, and was really being petty, because he hates the Jeep.  But we got in the Jeep (I always back it down the driveway), and it rolled right out, like an champ, even though our driveway isn’t flat, and you have to go “up” to get out. So guess what he drove to work the next day. The Jeep that he hates.

The Tahoe has 4WD too, but it is a lot bigger than my tiny 2 door Jeep. So, even though they both have 4WD, it matters that the Tahoe is much longer, especially if it’s light in the ass (no weight in the back), while the Jeep doesn’t even really have an ass in the first place. 

Imo, ice is different and all vehicles are shit when it comes to ice.

Anyway, I filled the Jeep’s gas tank on my way back home today, so that would be one less thing he has to do, and since I’m pretty sure it’s going to be his vehicle of choice if there is snow on the ground when he goes back to work Tuesday. Me personally, I am still not going anywhere if there is snow on the ground. My nerves don’t care that I have a Jeep to drive, and I don’t trust Mister’s driving. I  did drive it to work last year after the snow had started melting and some of the streets were clear in spots, but every time I got to a long stretch of snow, I still freaked out and my heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of my chest. It seems that I am traumatized for life, from my experience trying to get home from school when I had drove to school and they let us out early because it was snowing so much. My brain won’t let me forget the sheer terror I felt when I’ve had a car sliding out of my control. I’ve tried it since then, and lost control often enough, even though I was being careful, and that just reinforced how much it scares me, so I mostly just don’t even try anymore when I know the streets are bad.

Dumb question though, I thought it could be “too cold” to snow. The high Monday will be only 22°, the day snow is predicted to fall.

That is not too cold to,snow.  That is prime snow temp. 

[Pink Cashmere]

Jan 12, 2024 18:36:04 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dad in hospital with UTI and Sepsis. On phone hoping to find out more. Text was a couple hours ago. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

So far, we have had a high of 11°.  TD went into work for a few hours, mainly to release his time sheet.  I have the crab cakes made, and on a cookie sheet in our outdoor fridge.  The rest of dinner is ready to have the heat put under it.  

I’m watching a remake of Fame.  It doesn't impress me any more than the remake of Footloose.  

[cooper88]

Jan 12, 2024 18:36:04 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dad in hospital with UTI and Sepsis. On phone hoping to find out more. Text was a couple hours ago. 

Hugs. I hope you can get through to them soon.

[debthaven]

Opti I'm so sorry about your Dad. Maybe you should go see him?

I missed my Dad's death by mere minutes, despite flying from Paris to NY and back every other weekend for seven weeks.

It is one of my few regrets in life. 

ETA: Money was tight in those days. My dad paid for my flights while he was able. When he was no longer able, my sister did. She and I worked it out later.  

[lurkyloo]

Jan 12, 2024 18:32:39 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Jan 12, 2024 18:22:18 GMT -5 azucena said:

Thriftbooks.com is great for this.

You guys introduced me to that website. Bunch of enablers.

It's okay I passed the addiction to my coworker. Blew his mind.🤣

I've been using it lately to get out of print books. I got three more of The Last Vampire books by Christopher Pike and I've completed the set.

I was just thinking drama was the one who got me started ordering from there!

DS and I are reading Magic Elizabeth right now, to be followed by the Mystical Beast and Anne of the Island.  It’s also provided the Taran Wanderer series, Phantom Tollbooth and other gems…although the house with the clock in its walls came from the library    I need a couple more to flesh out this next order, so far I have Henry Sugar and the Moffats.

At some point he’ll rebel against all the girl books so I gotta get them in before that happens.  He’s not quite ready for Christopher Pike though.

[susana1954]

The last few hours have sucked big time! I have a credit card from my bank that I haven't used since 2012.  I wasn't even sure it was still open, and I always figured if I tried to use it for anything, they would flag it as fraud.

And they did.  Only it wasn't I who tried to use it but someone else who added herself as an authorized user and changed the mailing address on both the CC and the bank account it is tied to.  The bank's CC dept caught it and called me.  I closed the CC account, but I had to go to the bank to fill out some fraud paperwork.  There I discovered the change of address on my bank account as well.  They locked everything down until two drafts go through in a few days--my HOA fee and my car insurance.  I am supposed to change to a new bank account once that happens, which means a ton of paperwork.  Think SS, pension, and so on that comes through automatically.

Stupid me didn't think to get money until after it was locked!  Lol.  I have another bank account at the credit union, but no ATM card on purpose.  So I have no money over the holiday weekend.  Well, I might have a couple of dollars in quarters.  It's fine.  I don't carry money around, anyway.  I will manage until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I had to put credit freezes at the 3 credit bureaus.  Plus, I froze my $500k accounts at Vanguard and the $30k worth of savings at American Express.  Both are connected to the compromised bank account because I transfer money in/out through it.  The credit union account is connected to American Express but not to the bank account so I will try to ignore the fact that I couldn't get over there in time.  It is probably ok until Tuesday and it only has a few thousand in it.  

What a mess!  I bet it is harder to unfreeze everything.  I may never see my money again.

[Opti]

Jan 12, 2024 19:15:51 GMT -5 cooper88 said:

Jan 12, 2024 18:36:04 GMT -5 Opti said:

Dad in hospital with UTI and Sepsis. On phone hoping to find out more. Text was a couple hours ago. 

Hugs. I hope you can get through to them soon.

Going to try again in a half hour. After dinner isn't a good time either, but if I wait much longer the odds are bad. Tried calling multiple times when mom was in years ago and even trying to track dad down after that fall. 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Jan 12, 2024 19:19:59 GMT -5 lurkyloo said:

Jan 12, 2024 18:32:39 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

You guys introduced me to that website. Bunch of enablers.

It's okay I passed the addiction to my coworker. Blew his mind.🤣

I've been using it lately to get out of print books. I got three more of The Last Vampire books by Christopher Pike and I've completed the set.

I was just thinking drama was the one who got me started ordering from there!

DS and I are reading Magic Elizabeth right now, to be followed by the Mystical Beast and Anne of the Island.  It’s also provided the Taran Wanderer series, Phantom Tollbooth and other gems…although the house with the clock in its walls came from the library  [img src="https://i239.photobucket.co

m/albums/ff155/JiminiChristmas/ymamsmiles/smile.gif"]   I need a couple more to flesh out this next order, so far I have Henry Sugar and the Moffats.

At some point he’ll rebel against all the girl books so I gotta get them in before that happens.  He’s not quite ready for Christopher Pike though.

Rereading Pike as an adult there is some definite cringe and they are fairly dated.

But it's nostalgia and overall still good stories. I never finished The Last Vampire books so finding them for $3-$4 each is a coup.

I did try the library. Pikes YA books are long gone. Which I get. Still a bummer though. I swear my horde of his books is in my dad's basement.

Need to find them along with my original Goosebump books.

If I got rid of them I'm gonna be mad at myself. Not like I could have known at the time they'd eventually go out of print or I'd have kids I wanted to share them with but now that I do.🤬

[Opti]

Jan 12, 2024 19:21:58 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

The last few hours have sucked big time! I have a credit card from my bank that I haven't used since 2012.  I wasn't even sure it was still open, and I always figured if I tried to use it for anything, they would flag it as fraud.

And they did.  Only it wasn't I who tried to use it but someone else who added herself as an authorized user and changed the mailing address on both the CC and the bank account it is tied to.  The bank's CC dept caught it and called me.  I closed the CC account, but I had to go to the bank to fill out some fraud paperwork.  There I discovered the change of address on my bank account as well.  They locked everything down until two drafts go through in a few days--my HOA fee and my car insurance.  I am supposed to change to a new bank account once that happens, which means a ton of paperwork.  Think SS, pension, and so on that comes through automatically.

Stupid me didn't think to get money until after it was locked!  Lol.  I have another bank account at the credit union, but no ATM card on purpose.  So I have no money over the holiday weekend.  Well, I might have a couple of dollars in quarters.  It's fine.  I don't carry money around, anyway.  I will manage until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I had to put credit freezes at the 3 credit bureaus.  Plus, I froze my $500k accounts at Vanguard and the $30k worth of savings at American Express.  Both are connected to the compromised bank account because I transfer money in/out through it.  The credit union account is connected to American Express but not to the bank account so I will try to ignore the fact that I couldn't get over there in time.  It is probably ok until Tuesday and it only has a few thousand in it.  

What a mess!  I bet it is harder to unfreeze everything.  I may never see my money again.

So sorry. Congrats though on the due diligence. Its easily hours when stuff like this happens. 

I hope you see your money sooner than later.

[TheOtherMe]

Jan 12, 2024 19:21:58 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

Meanwhile, I had to put credit freezes at the 3 credit bureaus.  Plus, I froze my $500k accounts at Vanguard and the $30k worth of savings at American Express.  Both are connected to the compromised bank account because I transfer money in/out through it.  The credit union account is connected to American Express but not to the bank account so I will try to ignore the fact that I couldn't get over there in time.  It is probably ok until Tuesday and it only has a few thousand in it.  

What a mess!  I bet it is harder to unfreeze everything.  I may never see my money again.

I am sorry about this.  You will see your money again.

If I were you, I would not unfreeze the accounts.  Keeping them frozen would have prevented this from happening.

It's not hard to unfreeze them.    

[andi9899]

Jan 12, 2024 18:33:48 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Jan 12, 2024 17:42:44 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

We are currently forecast for overnight lows Monday and Tuesday of 20 and 19 respectively.  At this moment, it appears the freezing precipitation line might be slightly north of my area.  

Today I watered the potted plants in the shop and put a double covering over them.  We also double covered the one plant in the front beds I want to keep alive.  At the forecast temps, it's iffy if any plants will survive.  I'm just hoping the electrical grid holds, and that the generator runs if the grid dies.  And that the water pipes don't blow and/or we go under a boil-water notice.


countrygirl2 Hope your grandson's musical performance was enjoyable.


Pink Cashmere Great to hear the heating thing is fixed.  


NomoreDramaQ1015 Your new IP is also wonderful for producing safe water if your community issues a boil-water notice.  I figure 30 minutes at high pressure with natural release kills anything and everything.  Mine got a real work out back in '21

I am concerned about our weather forecast, even without the snow. 

We have started losing power sometimes where I live now, even though our power lines are buried. People that have lived in the same area for decades have been complaining about losing power recently, when it’s never been an issue for them. 

I am also concerned about my other house. During the years I lived there, it didn’t take much for the power to go out. It is a huge weight off of me that the heat got repaired today, but that doesn’t matter if the power to the house goes out. 

Starting tomorrow night, when the temperature goes below freezing again, it’s not forecast to get above freezing again until Thursday. That is no good. I’m not built for that, my house isn’t built for that, our infrastructure is also clearly not built for that. 

I am prepared to just stay home if it snows Monday, until the streets are cleared. But I am still concerned about what might happen with my house, with the sustained cold weather and the prediction of snow on Monday. 

Last winter when it snowed, power loss was widespread across the entire area, and DS ended up bringing himself, my Mom, DD and my Grandbabies to camp out at my house for a few days, because nobody had power except for Mister and I. 

When I went to my house earlier today, because the heat was out, it just confirmed for me, the reasons why I just really don’t want to deal with my Mom in person, even just for a visit. There or at my home. I feel bad for thinking that way, and horrible for “saying” it, but it’s just the truth. She already tends to wreck my nerves, but the stuff she has going on now, is way too much for me to try to deal with. I just can’t. If that makes me a bad person or daughter, oh well. I just know that I would most definitely end up in the loony bin or somewhere like it, if I had to share a space with my Mom these days. 

I have told her nicely and not so nicely that she needs to be somewhere where people get paid to tend to her issues. I might as well be talking to a tree though, for what good it does me to keep saying that. But ME, I can’t do it. I can’t, I can’t……. I can’t!

So if the power goes out over there, just go ahead and shoot me in the head, because imma die anyway if the only way to keep my Mom warm and safe is to bring her to my house.

This is going to be me when it comes time for my parents to live with me. I'm fine with my dad, my mom drives me batty! I just might smother her in her sleep.

[Opti]

YS has been on hold for a half an hour, so I gave up before 10 minutes elapsed. Eating dinner and working on letting what is going to happen.

Happen. 

[susana1954]

Jan 12, 2024 19:59:30 GMT -5 TheOtherMe said:

Jan 12, 2024 19:21:58 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

Meanwhile, I had to put credit freezes at the 3 credit bureaus.  Plus, I froze my $500k accounts at Vanguard and the $30k worth of savings at American Express.  Both are connected to the compromised bank account because I transfer money in/out through it.  The credit union account is connected to American Express but not to the bank account so I will try to ignore the fact that I couldn't get over there in time.  It is probably ok until Tuesday and it only has a few thousand in it.  

What a mess!  I bet it is harder to unfreeze everything.  I may never see my money again.

I am sorry about this.  You will see your money again.

If I were you, I would not unfreeze the accounts.  Keeping them frozen would have prevented this from happening.

It's not hard to unfreeze them.    

You lost me.  I don't see how you can function if your primary bank account is frozen.  That's where the breach was.  And I'm not sure that wasn't collateral damage to the credit card the hacker was trying to use.  That credit card was already open.  Since it was connected to the bank account, changing the address on the credit card probably changed my address on the bank account.  I closed that credit card account since I don't even use it.

If you mean the credit bureau freezes, no one tried to open a credit card.  The hacker tried to use one that was already open.  Will the credit bureau freeze prevent adding an authorized user or change of address?  I am curious.  But, yes, those I am leaving since I have enough credit.

If you mean, Vanguard and American Express, these are total freezes.  To unfreeze Vanguard, I have to send a notarized statement by snail mail.  That won't be very convenient.  American Express is easier since it just requires a phone call.

And, yes, I will see my money again.  Just not this weekend. 

[soupandstew]

Jan 12, 2024 18:25:10 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

Jan 12, 2024 16:58:10 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

Our weather forecast is dreadful. The detail keep changing, but it’s still dreadful.

After tomorrow, the temps won’t get above freezing again until Thursday afternoon. And there is currently a 70% chance of snow on Monday. Idk how much snow they are predicting, but it doesn’t take much to shut the whole area down. Especially since I am guessing that the ground will be cold enough for even a little snow to stick instead of melting when it reaches the ground.

Mister has been saying he wanted to make sure the Jeep and the Tahoe both had full tanks of gas, and his plan is to take care of that when he gets off work today. After the back end of the Tahoe got loose the only time he’s driven it on snow and ice, and started sliding when he was at a red light I’m pretty sure he intends to drive the Jeep instead. He HATES the Jeep, but he has been forced to acknowledge it’s his best bet when there is snow on the ground, ever since the day his car got stuck in the driveway as soon as he got it out of the garage and all 4 tires were on snow, and it took some work, involving a shovel, just to get it back in the garage. When he finally got it back in the garage, he said let’s see if the Jeep can get out, and was really being petty, because he hates the Jeep.  But we got in the Jeep (I always back it down the driveway), and it rolled right out, like an champ, even though our driveway isn’t flat, and you have to go “up” to get out. So guess what he drove to work the next day. The Jeep that he hates.

The Tahoe has 4WD too, but it is a lot bigger than my tiny 2 door Jeep. So, even though they both have 4WD, it matters that the Tahoe is much longer, especially if it’s light in the ass (no weight in the back), while the Jeep doesn’t even really have an ass in the first place. 

Imo, ice is different and all vehicles are shit when it comes to ice.

Anyway, I filled the Jeep’s gas tank on my way back home today, so that would be one less thing he has to do, and since I’m pretty sure it’s going to be his vehicle of choice if there is snow on the ground when he goes back to work Tuesday. Me personally, I am still not going anywhere if there is snow on the ground. My nerves don’t care that I have a Jeep to drive, and I don’t trust Mister’s driving. I  did drive it to work last year after the snow had started melting and some of the streets were clear in spots, but every time I got to a long stretch of snow, I still freaked out and my heart felt like it was trying to beat its way out of my chest. It seems that I am traumatized for life, from my experience trying to get home from school when I had drove to school and they let us out early because it was snowing so much. My brain won’t let me forget the sheer terror I felt when I’ve had a car sliding out of my control. I’ve tried it since then, and lost control often enough, even though I was being careful, and that just reinforced how much it scares me, so I mostly just don’t even try anymore when I know the streets are bad.

Dumb question though, I thought it could be “too cold” to snow. The high Monday will be only 22°, the day snow is predicted to fall.

You can add a bag of potting soil, scrap wood or whatever else you have to add weight to your vehicles.

I always kept extra forty lb. bags of cat litter in the back of my car which was light on the rear end and prone to a tail wiggle on ice.  

[soupandstew]

Opti I hope you are able to get through to your dad and get some updates on the situation 

[soupandstew]

I called the brokerage this am and got firm RMD numbers so we can finalize funding for sewer rehab.  We'll pull about half the cost from DH's RMD, minus fed withholding, and from our joint brokerage which is cash heavy.  We were going to use my RMD too but that would require liquidating some of my Apple stock and it makes more sense to just roll that over in-kind to the joint to satisfy my RMD as usual.  They will get my Apple stock from my cold dead hands 

[jerseygirl]

Opti, Sorry that your dad is in hospital. ERs are so busy that answering phones is probably low priority
Can your sister go to the hospital?

[jerseygirl]

Woah susanna, credit card hacking is so common now but I don’t know anyone who had a bank account hacked. Glad the bank caught it but lots of aggravation for you.
Hating all the scammers who make life difficult for honest hard working people

[andi9899]

Jan 12, 2024 19:21:58 GMT -5 susana1954 said:

The last few hours have sucked big time! I have a credit card from my bank that I haven't used since 2012.  I wasn't even sure it was still open, and I always figured if I tried to use it for anything, they would flag it as fraud.

And they did.  Only it wasn't I who tried to use it but someone else who added herself as an authorized user and changed the mailing address on both the CC and the bank account it is tied to.  The bank's CC dept caught it and called me.  I closed the CC account, but I had to go to the bank to fill out some fraud paperwork.  There I discovered the change of address on my bank account as well.  They locked everything down until two drafts go through in a few days--my HOA fee and my car insurance.  I am supposed to change to a new bank account once that happens, which means a ton of paperwork.  Think SS, pension, and so on that comes through automatically.

Stupid me didn't think to get money until after it was locked!  Lol.  I have another bank account at the credit union, but no ATM card on purpose.  So I have no money over the holiday weekend.  Well, I might have a couple of dollars in quarters.  It's fine.  I don't carry money around, anyway.  I will manage until Tuesday.

Meanwhile, I had to put credit freezes at the 3 credit bureaus.  Plus, I froze my $500k accounts at Vanguard and the $30k worth of savings at American Express.  Both are connected to the compromised bank account because I transfer money in/out through it.  The credit union account is connected to American Express but not to the bank account so I will try to ignore the fact that I couldn't get over there in time.  It is probably ok until Tuesday and it only has a few thousand in it.  

What a mess!  I bet it is harder to unfreeze everything.  I may never see my money again.

Can your bank not just print you a debit card? I can walk into my bank and walk out with a new card. It's too late now for regular locations, but does your bank have any grocery store locations? Maybe that will work.