6 posts tagged “house”

I continue to be so grateful that I started working on my debt/credit when I did. This week I've received a fab pay-off. I'm refinancing my house. The loan officer locked in 4.5% for me today. The new payment for my 15-year note is less than my current 30-year note.

I am holding tight to the tourniquet to hopefully staunch the bleeding . . . from my wallet. March is turning into an expensive month!

I paid off the $5890 for the trip (now to pay that back), plus $263 for my share of the single supplement. Travel insurance was $258.

I had my car in for the 75,000 mile check-up last week at the tune of $379. And now my Escrow shortage of $455 is due by March 31.

Can you say poor? Yes, that’s just over $7200 that has passed through my account this month. And it's only the 10th!!!

Yeah, I haven't watched any TV since Thursday. No, really. I did watch everything I had recorded (except for Reaper). Gone from the DVR list? Back to You. It's cute, but I don't want to invest more time in it.

Oh, wait. I did watch L&O: SVU last night. I like it when the stations re-run shows in the same week.

Tonight I'll watch Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters. No new shows or recordings tonight.

I am pooped. Twice a year the city has garbage pick-up where you can leave anything out. You see washing machines, old TVs and other larger items out along the curbs. I've gotten rid of a toilet that way.

Today I trimmed the bushes and trees in my yard. I was probably out there about three hours, clipping then dragging out front. I butchered one bush pretty badly in the front yard, but I am certain it will bounce back and fill back in.

Now, this is something I would normally hire someone to do, so I am pretty pleased that I saved the money and got in the manual labor myself. But, I am wiped out. Kind of like when you have a sunburn? (I don't.) Just tired and fatigued. What a wuss.

And I am on vacation! Frankly, my brain has been on vacay for a while now. I am so ready to be off. I won't be going anywhere since I just spent $350 on my car (and $90 on the dog), but it will be nice to not be at work.

My big goal for the week? To clean.

• the house
• the car

This is a big task. I want to get everything put away so I feel "clearer" for lack of a better term. I am feeling bogged down by stuff. I think I should just accept that I am stuck with the majority of the stuff while mom is alive because she pretty much won't let me get rid of it. Maybe I just need to buy some industrial size trash bags and sneak it out. Sad, huh? 41 and still hiding shit from my mom. :-)

I'd also like to hit a couple matinees. Mostly Ratatouille and Life Free or Die Harder. I told someone the second one today and she looked at me incredously, "Really??" Yeah. I heart Bruce Willis.

I want to spend some time adding to my pantry and planning out some meals for the following week. The veggie thing is going well and I am moving slowly away from processed foods (although I really heart Amy's). That's really my goal to move to a better overall nutrition plan. Cleaning is part of that. So my kitchen is more condusive to cooking, chopping, etc...

I have to say that everytime I eat a veggie meal I feel really good about myself. It's affecting my psyche way more than I thought it would. One of my friends asked this week if it would bother me if she ate meat in front of me. I told her no, but later teased her about the pile of chicken bones on her plate. She thought I meant it, but I again promised not to go "all PETA" on anyone. I think they're a little on the militant side. They have great info on their website about vegetarianism and veganism, but I almost feel guilty looking at them because I do think the group does as much harm as good.

I am up to seven minute intervals on the elliptical. My legs give out before my heart and breathing does. I've found I kind of enjoy it while watching TV. (Yes, that means it's in the middle of my living room.)

I've been reading a lot. Up to Book Five now. I'm going to wait until after the movie (bought my tickets today) to read Book Six. Which is good, because I've got some books ready at the library.

Oh, and today is my fifth anniversary in this house.

Next month I will have lived in my house five years.

What’s interesting to me is that five years later I still wake up at night and don’t know where I am. I have to lay there and think about.

I very often dream that I am living in the wrong house. It’s generally the same dream. That I am living at my mom’s house and I need to go back to my own. But when I go, it’s not the house I live in now. It’s a different place. It’s always the same place, and in my dreams I know it is the wrong place. Yet, it’s my house.

I think my psyche is telling me I’m living in the wrong house.

So I expect I will move some day. But not as long as mom is alive. Right now she lives just close enough and just far enough away to be just right.

I need to make some changes in my life. I'm trying to think of a slogan for 2007. Like . . .

2007: The year I get my ass in gear

Okay, that's not it. Unfortunately, not much ryhmes with seven. But you know what I mean. I need a little something to say to myself whenever I need a little kick-in-the-ass reminder.

There are three areas of my life I need to pay more attention to: my house, my finances and my health.

My house is a mess.

Problem: Seriously, even my dustbunnies are starting to bitch about the mess.

Solution: I've been thinking I just need to take a week from work and spend some time cleaning, throwing stuff away, gathering stuff for a yard sale, opening boxes that haven't been opened since I moved in nearly five years ago.

My finances are a mess.

Problem: I am not in trouble, but I have too much credit card debit for my own peace of mind. Sometimes it keeps me awake at night. I need to learn to tell myself "NO." That I do not need to live in a world of immediate gratification. That I can work for it. Save for it. Pay cash for it. I need to get over my affluenza.

Solution: I've signed up for Financial Peace University at a local church through Dave Ramsey. It is a 13-week course that starts February 6.

My health is a mess.

Problem: I weigh too much. I am not aerobically fit.

Part of my issue is Celexa. I gained 22 lbs when I started taking it. So we added Wellbutrin XL, which stopped the weight gain, but hasn't helped with the weight loss. Needless to say, I plan on taking Celexa for the rest of my life, but I have got to figure something out.

Solution: First I have an appointment with my doctor on February 2 (bloodwork is being done this week). I guess I'm waiting for my cholesterol numbers to shock me into action. 

Maybe I can get a bike. I really want to run, but I don't think that's going to be possible.

Overall, I just want to live a simplier life. With less stuff.