Happy New Year's Eve....
I am headed back to the Social Security office today. I was there yesterday. Still not being paid. All I found out yesterday was that the last effort to pay me resulted in the money being returned with yet another Death Tag. David, the man at the Fairbanks office I have been dealing with was not in... he had been off for a week... but he will be in today. So, I will make the 10 minute trip back to Social Security to see what progress we have made. I will be doing this every day, until I get my money deposited into my account. ( I am suspecting that there is still a flag in the ACH department at the bank, but I am hoping we can follow the last attempted deposit to see where it hit the skids to be sure!)
I have begun opening more boxes in between my last post and this one. I have also used the snow blower to clear off my driveway. It is more physically demanding than plowing with the truck, but I think we would be running out of places to plow the snow if we were plowing. The snow blowing disperses the snow much better and because it is generally a very light and fluffy snow, that makes it easy. The only issue is that The driveway here is HUGE! All flat, but HUGE, so it takes about 2 hours to get a good clearing. The good news.... when I do blow the driveway... I make my 10,000 step fitness goal very easily.
Tonight Rob and Kate will be here to watch the 8 PM fireworks. We will be celebrating the end of this most interesting year AND the 4th of July. They do not do 4th of July fireworks in Fairbanks because it doesn't get dark early enough to have them when people might be awake.
SO.... wishing you a Happy New Year. I had a video call with Sharon yesterday and I did a video call with Sheila and my cousin, Linda. I purchased a Facebook Portal TV and gave one to my son, Brian. So anyone who uses Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp on your phone, I can call you too. So, be looking for my face to pop up on your phone or tablet! Despite my SSA issues, it is going to be a GREAT 2020!!!
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
White Christmas and more SSA issues....
Merry Christmas...
It started out with a new couple of inches of snow on the ground and 8 degrees below zero. Sun rose at 11:00 AM and set at 2:43 PM. Rob and Kate rose before me but we all stood in line to make our Egg/sausage/cheese muffins for breakfast.
I got started on dinner immediately. I seasoned and vacuum sealed a 6 pound prime rib and plopped it into a water bath at 136 degrees and it gently cooked in there for 8 hours. Added fried Brussel sprouts, baked potatoes and a lovely salad along with a strawberry rhubarb by a vineyard locally called Bear Paw.
It was delish. But then we managed to clog up the sink on the disposal side and we worked on several things before finally getting it cleared with hot boiling water. It is always something when you have fancy appliances in your kitchen. I think it is fancy, anyway, as I have not had one in a kitchen for well over 40 years.
SSA... well, still no money. I called my "guy" at SSA in Fairbanks and left him a message for when he returns to work. I gave him the numbers of the lady in Alabama who fixes suspended accounts and the Senior Banker at the branch in Fairbanks and asked him to work with them to find out what is wrong. Then I went to the mailbox to find a letter from SSA that listed the lump sum they are planning to pay me and then my new monthly amount.... which is over half of what I have been getting. Seems they may have dropped off my widow's benefit from Rudy's account. I called SSA guy again, told him what was happening and said.... FIX IT!!!!!
I am so beyond tired of all of this!! So very, very tired of the stress!
Tomorrow we take Rob and Kate's new car to the shop to be examined and hopefully diagnosed and fixed. Then we are going to A Weaver's Yarn, the shop that our friend Susan runs for her Boxing Day Sale. Then, maybe to the Restaurant Supply store in Fairbanks, if it is open.
I also need to apologize to many of you who have been making comments on my blog. They (the blog) are supposed to email me when people comment so I can approve them for publication. I am guessing that the email system from that is flawed as I wandered into my "comments" section and found a ton of comments. I promise to check there more often. Thanks for all of the wonderful comments. SO happy that you are enjoying my journey into my new life.
But... I am hoping for an end to all of this SSA stuff and an end to 2019. Ready for the perfect vision of a year... 2020!!
Prayers and good thoughts are welcomed.....
It started out with a new couple of inches of snow on the ground and 8 degrees below zero. Sun rose at 11:00 AM and set at 2:43 PM. Rob and Kate rose before me but we all stood in line to make our Egg/sausage/cheese muffins for breakfast.
I got started on dinner immediately. I seasoned and vacuum sealed a 6 pound prime rib and plopped it into a water bath at 136 degrees and it gently cooked in there for 8 hours. Added fried Brussel sprouts, baked potatoes and a lovely salad along with a strawberry rhubarb by a vineyard locally called Bear Paw.
It was delish. But then we managed to clog up the sink on the disposal side and we worked on several things before finally getting it cleared with hot boiling water. It is always something when you have fancy appliances in your kitchen. I think it is fancy, anyway, as I have not had one in a kitchen for well over 40 years.
SSA... well, still no money. I called my "guy" at SSA in Fairbanks and left him a message for when he returns to work. I gave him the numbers of the lady in Alabama who fixes suspended accounts and the Senior Banker at the branch in Fairbanks and asked him to work with them to find out what is wrong. Then I went to the mailbox to find a letter from SSA that listed the lump sum they are planning to pay me and then my new monthly amount.... which is over half of what I have been getting. Seems they may have dropped off my widow's benefit from Rudy's account. I called SSA guy again, told him what was happening and said.... FIX IT!!!!!
I am so beyond tired of all of this!! So very, very tired of the stress!
Tomorrow we take Rob and Kate's new car to the shop to be examined and hopefully diagnosed and fixed. Then we are going to A Weaver's Yarn, the shop that our friend Susan runs for her Boxing Day Sale. Then, maybe to the Restaurant Supply store in Fairbanks, if it is open.
I also need to apologize to many of you who have been making comments on my blog. They (the blog) are supposed to email me when people comment so I can approve them for publication. I am guessing that the email system from that is flawed as I wandered into my "comments" section and found a ton of comments. I promise to check there more often. Thanks for all of the wonderful comments. SO happy that you are enjoying my journey into my new life.
But... I am hoping for an end to all of this SSA stuff and an end to 2019. Ready for the perfect vision of a year... 2020!!
Prayers and good thoughts are welcomed.....
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Sick kid and an ailing, brand new car...
Rob is sick. Not the flu, but perhaps Norovirus. They have had it before and Rob says it feels like it did when they had Noro. Not only is it just before their Christmas break, but they are supposed to be flying to Florida for 10 days in early January. Not a good way to begin the new year.
Rob stayed home last night and slept when he was not in the bathroom. Kate and I played games at Susan and Martin's house until about 11:00 PM. We played a card game called "House of Danger". It has five sections and in each one the group of people who are playing take turns reading a story card, deciding what option to pursue and gathering items needed to progress in the game with goals for each level. The group decides on the options and it can result in good things or demise. We did not succeed in the end, but it was a fun game that can be played by a fair amount of folks at one time. We learned what to do the next time so we might have a better chance of winning the final level.
Kate and I packed up, unplugged their new car from the electric that was keeping fluids and metals in the engine warm enough to use in the way below zero temps. We drove to my home, with not a single problem, where she and Rob packed up to drive to their home. Rob said that when he started their new car that lots of the dashboard warning lights came on and stayed on. But all he wanted to do was get home to his own bad.
That was not to happen.
He called me about 10 minutes or so after they left and said they were coming back. Their car was not acting right and they doubted that it was going to make it to their house. Rob was not even sure that it would get back to me. I told him to call if he needed me to come pick them up. Going into constant prayer mode, I turned on lights inside and out... as I was already to crawl into bed.... and waited until I saw their car pull into the driveway. They unloaded their stuff saying that something was wrong and headed for bed. Rob got up and outside twice, once to plug the car in to my electric and once to retrieve his favorite coffee travel mug from freezing up and perhaps being damaged inside the car.
This morning Rob went out and started the car up. The check engine light was coming on and the "S" indicator was flashing. It took some time, but the flashing symbol is a sign of something wrong, so he made an online appointment for Thursday for the car to be checked out. They took my Gaddy the Caddy out this afternoon. Drove to their house on the mountain where they packed up food and clothing and medicine and returned here where they will be until they get their car repaired. Gaddy did well traveling the roads up to their place and easily managed going up the hill that is their driveway, so I have to say that Gaddy is proving to be a very reliable, Alaska car. If someone could please let Parmalle and Noah know, I would appreciate it. Most folks use Toyota or Subaru All Wheel drive cars. I thought I might have trouble with my Caddy. But her front-wheel drive and traction control seem to be plenty to get wherever I might want or need to go.
So, the sun is setting here... it is just a little after 3 PM. I am still in my pj's and will probably stay in them until tomorrow. Chances are I will be without Gaddy so that Rob and Kate can get to work. We have an afternoon appointment to finish my Estate Trust, Will and Medical directives and make changes in the deed on this house so we can get the maximum property tax deductions in 2020 on both of the houses.
Then we kick back, enjoy spending Christmas together and hope that Rob will get over his bug quickly and that neither Kate or I come down with it. Prayers accepted.....
Rob stayed home last night and slept when he was not in the bathroom. Kate and I played games at Susan and Martin's house until about 11:00 PM. We played a card game called "House of Danger". It has five sections and in each one the group of people who are playing take turns reading a story card, deciding what option to pursue and gathering items needed to progress in the game with goals for each level. The group decides on the options and it can result in good things or demise. We did not succeed in the end, but it was a fun game that can be played by a fair amount of folks at one time. We learned what to do the next time so we might have a better chance of winning the final level.
Kate and I packed up, unplugged their new car from the electric that was keeping fluids and metals in the engine warm enough to use in the way below zero temps. We drove to my home, with not a single problem, where she and Rob packed up to drive to their home. Rob said that when he started their new car that lots of the dashboard warning lights came on and stayed on. But all he wanted to do was get home to his own bad.
That was not to happen.
He called me about 10 minutes or so after they left and said they were coming back. Their car was not acting right and they doubted that it was going to make it to their house. Rob was not even sure that it would get back to me. I told him to call if he needed me to come pick them up. Going into constant prayer mode, I turned on lights inside and out... as I was already to crawl into bed.... and waited until I saw their car pull into the driveway. They unloaded their stuff saying that something was wrong and headed for bed. Rob got up and outside twice, once to plug the car in to my electric and once to retrieve his favorite coffee travel mug from freezing up and perhaps being damaged inside the car.
This morning Rob went out and started the car up. The check engine light was coming on and the "S" indicator was flashing. It took some time, but the flashing symbol is a sign of something wrong, so he made an online appointment for Thursday for the car to be checked out. They took my Gaddy the Caddy out this afternoon. Drove to their house on the mountain where they packed up food and clothing and medicine and returned here where they will be until they get their car repaired. Gaddy did well traveling the roads up to their place and easily managed going up the hill that is their driveway, so I have to say that Gaddy is proving to be a very reliable, Alaska car. If someone could please let Parmalle and Noah know, I would appreciate it. Most folks use Toyota or Subaru All Wheel drive cars. I thought I might have trouble with my Caddy. But her front-wheel drive and traction control seem to be plenty to get wherever I might want or need to go.
So, the sun is setting here... it is just a little after 3 PM. I am still in my pj's and will probably stay in them until tomorrow. Chances are I will be without Gaddy so that Rob and Kate can get to work. We have an afternoon appointment to finish my Estate Trust, Will and Medical directives and make changes in the deed on this house so we can get the maximum property tax deductions in 2020 on both of the houses.
Then we kick back, enjoy spending Christmas together and hope that Rob will get over his bug quickly and that neither Kate or I come down with it. Prayers accepted.....
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Not finished, yet....
Hello from the longest night, shortest day of the year. I did see sunlight today. I managed to walk out to my mailbox today during the light, but it was short-lived. The good thing is that starting tomorrow the night will get shorter and the day will grow longer until the Summer Solstice when it will be reversed.
Still not being paid from Social Security. The flag is now gone in the ACH department at the bank. Yes, even after Treasury removed their death flag, my money was not getting into my account. But it was getting to the bank and then being returned.
The young man who is the senior banker, had assured me several weeks ago that there was nothing hidden anywhere in the bank that would prevent my money from reaching me. But once Treasury removed the flag, the folks who are working with me could clearly see it being rejected from the bank.
So, I call and am told that there were no holds or flags. SO I asked for a direct number to the ACH department. Thank goodness I had worked at Jefferson Bank for 14 years and knew what the ACH department was all about.
I spoke to Mary in ACH and she seemed somewhat surprised by a customer calling into that department, but she was able to confirm that there indeed was a flag that was causing the deposit to be returned to SSA. She had no idea what I needed to do to get the thing removed, so I called the branch back and spoke to the same Senior Banker to explain what I had found. He sounded surprised that I had gone ahead and done what he should have done in the first place and that I had discovered that there was indeed a flag causing my money, now a nice little bundle, I might add... to be bounced back to Treasury.
My contact at the Fairbanks office... I have his direct line... indicated that the payment had been attempted but bounced before the flag had been removed at the bank. He was going to put it through again. But I also knew, that a bounced payment was going to suspend my account, so the first thing the next morning was to call Candace in Alabama. I have her direct number, too. She verified that my account was indeed, suspended. She asked her questions and removed it, so hopefully in the next couple of working days, I will be back on track. Stay tuned!!!
We are in a bit of a cold snap here in Fairbanks. It is currently 32 degrees BELOW zero. It got up to -29 today and will remain in that range tomorrow. It is cold enough, that when you step outside and take your first breath through your nose, the nose hairs inside your nose freeze solid and then you can feel them trying to move with each breath you take.
The dogs can step out for a minute or two before the cold burns their paw pads, so they are using their pee pads and not being yelled at. It is just too cold. I try to be well covered when I go out as you just do not feel how cold it is but it is actually quick freezing anything that is exposed.
We did get new garage door installed. The door I use for Gaddy the Caddy and to take the dogs outside had stopped working correctly. It was old and not very efficient, so we replaced not only the opener, but the entire door. It is soooooo very nice. Belt driven and so quiet, I am not really sure it is running until I see the door going up.
I am ready for the holidays, as much as I can be. I have some gifts for friends in PA/MD. But they are not going to make it out until after Christmas. So, think of them as New Year's gifts, if you are one who is getting one.
Game night, tonight. Rob is not feeling well. He has been asleep in their bedroom since they got here at 2 PMish. So Kate and I are going to the game venue with dessert and Christmas exchange gifts. Should be a fun night!!
Still not being paid from Social Security. The flag is now gone in the ACH department at the bank. Yes, even after Treasury removed their death flag, my money was not getting into my account. But it was getting to the bank and then being returned.
The young man who is the senior banker, had assured me several weeks ago that there was nothing hidden anywhere in the bank that would prevent my money from reaching me. But once Treasury removed the flag, the folks who are working with me could clearly see it being rejected from the bank.
So, I call and am told that there were no holds or flags. SO I asked for a direct number to the ACH department. Thank goodness I had worked at Jefferson Bank for 14 years and knew what the ACH department was all about.
I spoke to Mary in ACH and she seemed somewhat surprised by a customer calling into that department, but she was able to confirm that there indeed was a flag that was causing the deposit to be returned to SSA. She had no idea what I needed to do to get the thing removed, so I called the branch back and spoke to the same Senior Banker to explain what I had found. He sounded surprised that I had gone ahead and done what he should have done in the first place and that I had discovered that there was indeed a flag causing my money, now a nice little bundle, I might add... to be bounced back to Treasury.
My contact at the Fairbanks office... I have his direct line... indicated that the payment had been attempted but bounced before the flag had been removed at the bank. He was going to put it through again. But I also knew, that a bounced payment was going to suspend my account, so the first thing the next morning was to call Candace in Alabama. I have her direct number, too. She verified that my account was indeed, suspended. She asked her questions and removed it, so hopefully in the next couple of working days, I will be back on track. Stay tuned!!!
We are in a bit of a cold snap here in Fairbanks. It is currently 32 degrees BELOW zero. It got up to -29 today and will remain in that range tomorrow. It is cold enough, that when you step outside and take your first breath through your nose, the nose hairs inside your nose freeze solid and then you can feel them trying to move with each breath you take.
The dogs can step out for a minute or two before the cold burns their paw pads, so they are using their pee pads and not being yelled at. It is just too cold. I try to be well covered when I go out as you just do not feel how cold it is but it is actually quick freezing anything that is exposed.
We did get new garage door installed. The door I use for Gaddy the Caddy and to take the dogs outside had stopped working correctly. It was old and not very efficient, so we replaced not only the opener, but the entire door. It is soooooo very nice. Belt driven and so quiet, I am not really sure it is running until I see the door going up.
I am ready for the holidays, as much as I can be. I have some gifts for friends in PA/MD. But they are not going to make it out until after Christmas. So, think of them as New Year's gifts, if you are one who is getting one.
Game night, tonight. Rob is not feeling well. He has been asleep in their bedroom since they got here at 2 PMish. So Kate and I are going to the game venue with dessert and Christmas exchange gifts. Should be a fun night!!
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Soooooo, this death thing still sucks.....
I do not know how anyone who is living on Social Security only could survive being erroneously declared dead! I am fortunate in that I have the means to continue to live and pay bills and buy food and medicine without the benefit of any payment from Social Security since being declared deceased. But my patience is wearing thin... very, very thin.
I have dealt with Candace in Alabama, twice. She indicated that the "technicians" were working on the solution to my payments not being made. I was going to give them to the end of this past week, but in the middle of it all, I got a call from David at the local SSA office in Fairbanks. We played phone tag and he finally left a message that he thought he had found the reason and for me not to worry.
We finally spoke and he had found out that while Social Security and Medicare had gotten back on the living bandwagon, Treasury had flagged the payments and they never even reached my bank. He thought he had rectified it all and that I would see a double payment being made either Thursday night or Friday night. I am here to tell you that there still must be a problem as I have seen no deposit into my account and there is nothing pending for Monday, either!!! Needless to say, I will be calling David on Monday morning. But at least I now have a single contact to call and he can handle the rest. He told me they are calling me Lazarus, as I keep being risen from the dead!!! I really and truly hope that none of you have to experience this. It is awful.
I have been getting a raft of paperwork from my investments. I am now needing to prove to them all that I am living. I have already had to get one of the forms notarized. David is going to be sending out a letter from the Fairbanks office that I will be able to send to those who require forms being filled out. The next thing is dealing with the notations on my credit reporting agencies. This is a nightmare. I have even had to ask my new eye doctor to resubmit the medical claim to Medicare as it was denied because the "service occurred after the date of my death".
But, life goes on. I did a lot of shopping this week. I needed to get a couple of things from Home Depot. While there, I found LARGE ornaments for decorating. I got 5 and have hung them, along with two beautiful fake Poinsettias and then a string of LED lights wrapped in red/gold tinsel garland. Nothing outlandish and will go nicely with the decorations I brought from Parkesburg that I have not found yet.... next year. I did hang the folded Christmas Tree we made last year at Sew Much Love and I have a couple of lanterns on the dining room table and the living room table. Looks festive. Pictures below.
I found the Nutcracker themed Nutcrackers at Fred Meyers. I got the Prince/King and the Mouse King. I did so enjoy seeing a live production of the Nutcracker last weekend. So I am adding some of that story into my decorations.
Here is the full decoration on the front of the house. The ornaments and garland in the window and the tree hanging on the wall.
This is the coffee table in the living room. I have not yet found all of the books and stuff that goes inside the table. And I have not found my container of table runners. I have Christmas ones, but they are in the container that is still in the boxes in the garage.
This is a closeup of just the window. It was taken during the precious little bit of sunlight that we can get every day. You can see the winter wonderland view that I have out of my window. The tall pine trees are black spruce and you see them everywhere as one drives along in Alaska. The snow stays on the branches until the wind knocks it off. It is really a lovely view and it is quite calming for me. You feel God's wondrous hand in all of this land that surrounds me. It is a very similar feeling to the view that I had on the deck at Fancy Gap.
I am having to leave my car out in the bitter cold for a few days. Thursday night I had taken the dogs out for their final walk before bed. I have been going out the front, through the garage doors as it is easier to get in and out that way. But when I got back inside and pushed the button to close the door, nothing happened. I put the dogs in, grabbed my step stool and went back into the garage. We knew the doors and openers were old and would need to be replaced in time.... well, the time on the door I use is up!!! So, I moved my car outside as I did not want it stuck inside. Then I got up on the ladder and unplugged the unit, counted to 10 and plugged it back in. I pressed the remote once.... nothing. Then a second time and the door finally closed. It has not been open since. Luckily I was able to find a company who will be able to make arrangements to replace the door and the opener this coming Tuesday. We will get the other door replaced in the spring. Always something when you own a home!
Thankfully, I made the winterizing alterations on the Caddy so I can plug her in for an hour or so before I have to go anywhere and the engine and oil be be heated up and the battery charged so I can get her started in this cold weather. She will be able to go back into her heated garage on Tuesday.
Rob and Kate are here as I type. We are dining here and then going to a play. "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is in one of the local theaters. It is amazing the amount of live productions in this area. I am loving it.
So, that brings you up to date. I did meet with the sewing Ladies on Friday. I took my crocheting. I now have the dates for the next couple of months in my calendar. It is nice to do something other than unpacking!! I am, however, now concentrating on my craft/sewing room. Exciting!!!
I have dealt with Candace in Alabama, twice. She indicated that the "technicians" were working on the solution to my payments not being made. I was going to give them to the end of this past week, but in the middle of it all, I got a call from David at the local SSA office in Fairbanks. We played phone tag and he finally left a message that he thought he had found the reason and for me not to worry.
We finally spoke and he had found out that while Social Security and Medicare had gotten back on the living bandwagon, Treasury had flagged the payments and they never even reached my bank. He thought he had rectified it all and that I would see a double payment being made either Thursday night or Friday night. I am here to tell you that there still must be a problem as I have seen no deposit into my account and there is nothing pending for Monday, either!!! Needless to say, I will be calling David on Monday morning. But at least I now have a single contact to call and he can handle the rest. He told me they are calling me Lazarus, as I keep being risen from the dead!!! I really and truly hope that none of you have to experience this. It is awful.
I have been getting a raft of paperwork from my investments. I am now needing to prove to them all that I am living. I have already had to get one of the forms notarized. David is going to be sending out a letter from the Fairbanks office that I will be able to send to those who require forms being filled out. The next thing is dealing with the notations on my credit reporting agencies. This is a nightmare. I have even had to ask my new eye doctor to resubmit the medical claim to Medicare as it was denied because the "service occurred after the date of my death".
But, life goes on. I did a lot of shopping this week. I needed to get a couple of things from Home Depot. While there, I found LARGE ornaments for decorating. I got 5 and have hung them, along with two beautiful fake Poinsettias and then a string of LED lights wrapped in red/gold tinsel garland. Nothing outlandish and will go nicely with the decorations I brought from Parkesburg that I have not found yet.... next year. I did hang the folded Christmas Tree we made last year at Sew Much Love and I have a couple of lanterns on the dining room table and the living room table. Looks festive. Pictures below.
I found the Nutcracker themed Nutcrackers at Fred Meyers. I got the Prince/King and the Mouse King. I did so enjoy seeing a live production of the Nutcracker last weekend. So I am adding some of that story into my decorations.
Here is the other end of the decoration with the Mouse King, I love having a table to decorate. My old table was always full of junk. I am trying very hard not to pile stuff on this one.
Here is the full decoration on the front of the house. The ornaments and garland in the window and the tree hanging on the wall.
This is the coffee table in the living room. I have not yet found all of the books and stuff that goes inside the table. And I have not found my container of table runners. I have Christmas ones, but they are in the container that is still in the boxes in the garage.
This is a closeup of just the window. It was taken during the precious little bit of sunlight that we can get every day. You can see the winter wonderland view that I have out of my window. The tall pine trees are black spruce and you see them everywhere as one drives along in Alaska. The snow stays on the branches until the wind knocks it off. It is really a lovely view and it is quite calming for me. You feel God's wondrous hand in all of this land that surrounds me. It is a very similar feeling to the view that I had on the deck at Fancy Gap.
I am having to leave my car out in the bitter cold for a few days. Thursday night I had taken the dogs out for their final walk before bed. I have been going out the front, through the garage doors as it is easier to get in and out that way. But when I got back inside and pushed the button to close the door, nothing happened. I put the dogs in, grabbed my step stool and went back into the garage. We knew the doors and openers were old and would need to be replaced in time.... well, the time on the door I use is up!!! So, I moved my car outside as I did not want it stuck inside. Then I got up on the ladder and unplugged the unit, counted to 10 and plugged it back in. I pressed the remote once.... nothing. Then a second time and the door finally closed. It has not been open since. Luckily I was able to find a company who will be able to make arrangements to replace the door and the opener this coming Tuesday. We will get the other door replaced in the spring. Always something when you own a home!
Thankfully, I made the winterizing alterations on the Caddy so I can plug her in for an hour or so before I have to go anywhere and the engine and oil be be heated up and the battery charged so I can get her started in this cold weather. She will be able to go back into her heated garage on Tuesday.
Rob and Kate are here as I type. We are dining here and then going to a play. "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" is in one of the local theaters. It is amazing the amount of live productions in this area. I am loving it.
So, that brings you up to date. I did meet with the sewing Ladies on Friday. I took my crocheting. I now have the dates for the next couple of months in my calendar. It is nice to do something other than unpacking!! I am, however, now concentrating on my craft/sewing room. Exciting!!!
Friday, December 6, 2019
Update on Parkesburg House Interior
It is afternoon here in Fairbanks. The clock on the laptop says 2:48 PM. Sunset today is 2:50 PM.... so I guess I could say good evening. Sunrise was at 10:33 AM. I woke up at 8:00 AMish. It was dark. It was -27 degrees. The dogs stepped outside the garage door, peed and booked for the heated bedroom!! By 9:30 AM, there was a dusky light. And the light here is dusky and will be that way until 3:30 PMish. There are only 15 days remaining in the darkening days. After the 21st of December the daylight hours begin to lengthen. Honestly, it is not as terrible as I had expected. I had imagined all day darkness, like nighttime darkness and that is far from the case. I can certainly live with this. Not all that bad.
Still fighting SSA. Called Candace again today as I have not seen my money. It has been sent twice this week and the technicians are delving deeper as to the reason why. I will keep calling until I am back on track. I am getting lots of paperwork from my investment groups. It seems that while my guys know I am alive, their back offices need to have paperwork to back it up. What a pain in the butt.
Checked in on my generator. When I ordered it, I was told it would arrive in a couple of weeks. But no call, so Miss Squeaky Wheel called. It is still on back order, but Jonathan Woodway feels that they will be shipped shortly. But it will be delivered when it comes in. I will keep checking on that, too.
Living Room furniture arrives tomorrow. As soon as I finish this blog, I will be clearing things out in our living area to make ready for the pieces we bought. I will try to get pictures of before and after. How the pieces will be living in the room may be changing until we are happy with the setup.
A couple of days ago I got a text from Artisan Restorations. In it were 8 pictures of the completed interior of the main floor of the Parkesburg house. The lady should be moving in soon, and wow... is she moving into a nice house. If it looked as good as John and his crew have made it, I might not have thought about moving. But I did not have the resources to do what he has done. It is lovely.
Here is the outside porch. That was the room just off the deck but before the kitchen. I used it for junk and storage. There are all manner of possibilities for this space now.
It is a beautiful floor. All I had was concrete covered with fake grass. If it had electric, it would be a nice little TV room or reading nook. The morning sun would be wonderful, even in the cold days.
The beautiful floors continue into the kitchen. He moved the washer/dryer from the far corner to the nook where I had my microwave and other cooking items. Makes the kitchen seem much bigger. Might even support a small table for breakfast and meal prep. I cannot tell if they changed the counter top or not. And it looks as if Rudy's cabinets (he made the door and drawer fronts one winter) are still in place. Probably just really well cleaned and shined up.
This is the view of the kitchen from the far side. They put an accordion door at the top of the stairs. I have no idea if they did anything down stairs. I cannot tell if they just painted over the paneling. It is a nice clean white, but the trim that Rudy put up is still in place, so I am guessing paint.
Here is the view from the living area to the dining area. New wall-to-wall carpet. Everything has been painted white or ivory. Two slim overhead lights so placing a dining table is easier. Wonder what they did with the round oak table I left behind??? It would not work in this room, so it really does not matter. Just wondering. Smoke detector in the corner, There appear to be curtain rods in all of the windows along with skinny Venetian blinds.
Living room. I am sure the recliner and couch have made it to the dump. But I was not paying for them to make the trip. The side table has hopefully found a nice home. More nice carpet, painted walls and general cleanup.
This is inside the Happy room. More paint and continued carpet. A perfect office or study or TV room or little bedroom. My Dad spent many a night in this room after he moved up from Tennessee.
This is my room. Carpet following inside, new paint and I assume window treatment the same with skinny blinds and a curtain rod. The house looks like it has been loved and totally up-to-date.
Finally the bathroom. Wood on the floor... or wood-like on the floor. With the tub now along the back of the room, I am sure there is more room to get dressed and undressed in the room, if needed. Totally different feel for that room.
I am sure that they have worked with the water and waste lines in the house. They were the next thing I was going to have to deal with if I was still in the house.
Anyway, now the little house that was once my home is all spruced up with many years of sheltering families ahead of her. Makes me smile.
Still fighting SSA. Called Candace again today as I have not seen my money. It has been sent twice this week and the technicians are delving deeper as to the reason why. I will keep calling until I am back on track. I am getting lots of paperwork from my investment groups. It seems that while my guys know I am alive, their back offices need to have paperwork to back it up. What a pain in the butt.
Checked in on my generator. When I ordered it, I was told it would arrive in a couple of weeks. But no call, so Miss Squeaky Wheel called. It is still on back order, but Jonathan Woodway feels that they will be shipped shortly. But it will be delivered when it comes in. I will keep checking on that, too.
Living Room furniture arrives tomorrow. As soon as I finish this blog, I will be clearing things out in our living area to make ready for the pieces we bought. I will try to get pictures of before and after. How the pieces will be living in the room may be changing until we are happy with the setup.
A couple of days ago I got a text from Artisan Restorations. In it were 8 pictures of the completed interior of the main floor of the Parkesburg house. The lady should be moving in soon, and wow... is she moving into a nice house. If it looked as good as John and his crew have made it, I might not have thought about moving. But I did not have the resources to do what he has done. It is lovely.
Here is the outside porch. That was the room just off the deck but before the kitchen. I used it for junk and storage. There are all manner of possibilities for this space now.
The beautiful floors continue into the kitchen. He moved the washer/dryer from the far corner to the nook where I had my microwave and other cooking items. Makes the kitchen seem much bigger. Might even support a small table for breakfast and meal prep. I cannot tell if they changed the counter top or not. And it looks as if Rudy's cabinets (he made the door and drawer fronts one winter) are still in place. Probably just really well cleaned and shined up.
Here is the view from the living area to the dining area. New wall-to-wall carpet. Everything has been painted white or ivory. Two slim overhead lights so placing a dining table is easier. Wonder what they did with the round oak table I left behind??? It would not work in this room, so it really does not matter. Just wondering. Smoke detector in the corner, There appear to be curtain rods in all of the windows along with skinny Venetian blinds.
Living room. I am sure the recliner and couch have made it to the dump. But I was not paying for them to make the trip. The side table has hopefully found a nice home. More nice carpet, painted walls and general cleanup.
This is inside the Happy room. More paint and continued carpet. A perfect office or study or TV room or little bedroom. My Dad spent many a night in this room after he moved up from Tennessee.
This is my room. Carpet following inside, new paint and I assume window treatment the same with skinny blinds and a curtain rod. The house looks like it has been loved and totally up-to-date.
Finally the bathroom. Wood on the floor... or wood-like on the floor. With the tub now along the back of the room, I am sure there is more room to get dressed and undressed in the room, if needed. Totally different feel for that room.
I am sure that they have worked with the water and waste lines in the house. They were the next thing I was going to have to deal with if I was still in the house.
Anyway, now the little house that was once my home is all spruced up with many years of sheltering families ahead of her. Makes me smile.
Monday, December 2, 2019
Having been dead is going to kill me...
Being resurrected from among the dead is not all it is cracked up to be. The angels are not singing. There are no rivers of milk and honey and the roads are not paved with gold. Instead, there are hopes of things going correctly, finding out that you are now dead in places on your credit report and that Social Security, while resurrecting you, does not promise that your payments will be made on time, if at all.
And, once dead, you best know your father's full name, your mother's maiden name, your current address, any of the other streets you might have lived at or had packages delivered to, your Social Security Number, your phone number (the one Social Security has in it's system), your birthday and the city you were born in. And if you are dealing with folks who are looking at you financially, you had best know the amount of any loan payments that you are making or have recently made...the exact amount... and the bank or institution that holds the loan and a loan number. And you are going to get very tired of repeating that information over and over and over again.
Last week I started getting more letters from Social Security. I got two on one day. One said I would be getting my November payment but the amount would be different as they had discovered an error in my original amount. The other letter stated that my claims for October and November were being denied and if I wanted to contest that ruling to call (866) ***-****. I paid no attention to either as the information on the SSA web site indicated I was alive and the next payment was scheduled for it's normal time. I HAD faith in my government and went along blithely ignorant of the fact that my money might not be arriving into my account on time.
Thanksgiving came and went. Food cooked, eaten and time with family spent!
Black Friday, which now has an entirely new meaning for me, found another letter in my mailbox from SSA. This letter informed me that my November payment, and all future payments were being suspended until I called (866) ***-**** so we could discuss why a payment had been returned. I found this letter with plenty of time to call and talk to a person, but all I got was an answering machine, so I left a message.
SO all weekend long, this is hanging over my head. I scour the house and locate all of the letters from SSA and from my Part D drug plan provider.
This morning I wait until 9:00 AM and no phone call, so I get my phone, dial the number... TV on so I can at least watch something until a person answers the phone. To my great surprise, the phone rings once and Candace answers the phone.
We chat about my issue, I answer the list of required questions and she declares that she will contact the proper office and get the payment started again. But there my still be a 'deceased flag' deep in the ACH system of my bank. It may not be fixed yet!!!
I call that bank and am assured by Cutter that he has looked deep into the banks system and is finding no flags or holds on that account. Again, time will tell.
When talking with Candace, I happened to mention the other letters. She suggested that I call and go through the process of making things right, as there are a great many service areas that work independently. Good to know. SO now I also need to see where the letter is coming from as it is not JUST one Social Security.
So I call. Teesha helps me clear up the denied payments and assures me that she will be contacting the folks who make the payments and that I will be getting everything I am owed. Wonder if it will be one payment (the only thing I am missing) or two payments (the two that were denied) or all three, at which point I am going to owe SSA a great deal of money in return. This will be fun to watch.
In the meantime, my Part D plan has been reinstated, but they think I am new from November 1st and will be with them through 2020. Actually, I have signed up with a new plan for 2020, but now I am expecting all of that to get fouled up as well, so I will be watching this closely so it does not get out of hand.
My advice to you. Once you go on Social Security, make sure you are in your forever home. Do not move, do not try to change anything yourself online, go to your local SSA office and be sure you take down names of those who have helped you. That way you can point fingers and lay blame.
I did get an apology letter today from Social Security. They said it was an unfortunate error. REALLY??? They get death information from many different sources and they did not know how my name was reported. But it has been removed from the weekly master list where it appeared at the end of October. I am being offered one year of ID/financial protection that I will take them up on and perhaps be able to remove the death flags from all of my credit reports. I figure that the government does not often give you something for free, nor do they admit that it was their mistake. So I will take what is offered and keep slogging through this mini-nightmare.
At least Black Friday is behind me!!!
And, once dead, you best know your father's full name, your mother's maiden name, your current address, any of the other streets you might have lived at or had packages delivered to, your Social Security Number, your phone number (the one Social Security has in it's system), your birthday and the city you were born in. And if you are dealing with folks who are looking at you financially, you had best know the amount of any loan payments that you are making or have recently made...the exact amount... and the bank or institution that holds the loan and a loan number. And you are going to get very tired of repeating that information over and over and over again.
Last week I started getting more letters from Social Security. I got two on one day. One said I would be getting my November payment but the amount would be different as they had discovered an error in my original amount. The other letter stated that my claims for October and November were being denied and if I wanted to contest that ruling to call (866) ***-****. I paid no attention to either as the information on the SSA web site indicated I was alive and the next payment was scheduled for it's normal time. I HAD faith in my government and went along blithely ignorant of the fact that my money might not be arriving into my account on time.
Thanksgiving came and went. Food cooked, eaten and time with family spent!
Black Friday, which now has an entirely new meaning for me, found another letter in my mailbox from SSA. This letter informed me that my November payment, and all future payments were being suspended until I called (866) ***-**** so we could discuss why a payment had been returned. I found this letter with plenty of time to call and talk to a person, but all I got was an answering machine, so I left a message.
SO all weekend long, this is hanging over my head. I scour the house and locate all of the letters from SSA and from my Part D drug plan provider.
This morning I wait until 9:00 AM and no phone call, so I get my phone, dial the number... TV on so I can at least watch something until a person answers the phone. To my great surprise, the phone rings once and Candace answers the phone.
We chat about my issue, I answer the list of required questions and she declares that she will contact the proper office and get the payment started again. But there my still be a 'deceased flag' deep in the ACH system of my bank. It may not be fixed yet!!!
I call that bank and am assured by Cutter that he has looked deep into the banks system and is finding no flags or holds on that account. Again, time will tell.
When talking with Candace, I happened to mention the other letters. She suggested that I call and go through the process of making things right, as there are a great many service areas that work independently. Good to know. SO now I also need to see where the letter is coming from as it is not JUST one Social Security.
So I call. Teesha helps me clear up the denied payments and assures me that she will be contacting the folks who make the payments and that I will be getting everything I am owed. Wonder if it will be one payment (the only thing I am missing) or two payments (the two that were denied) or all three, at which point I am going to owe SSA a great deal of money in return. This will be fun to watch.
In the meantime, my Part D plan has been reinstated, but they think I am new from November 1st and will be with them through 2020. Actually, I have signed up with a new plan for 2020, but now I am expecting all of that to get fouled up as well, so I will be watching this closely so it does not get out of hand.
My advice to you. Once you go on Social Security, make sure you are in your forever home. Do not move, do not try to change anything yourself online, go to your local SSA office and be sure you take down names of those who have helped you. That way you can point fingers and lay blame.
I did get an apology letter today from Social Security. They said it was an unfortunate error. REALLY??? They get death information from many different sources and they did not know how my name was reported. But it has been removed from the weekly master list where it appeared at the end of October. I am being offered one year of ID/financial protection that I will take them up on and perhaps be able to remove the death flags from all of my credit reports. I figure that the government does not often give you something for free, nor do they admit that it was their mistake. So I will take what is offered and keep slogging through this mini-nightmare.
At least Black Friday is behind me!!!
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