Slow Day

Not a bad today. It was threatening rain this morning so I ran errands first thing. It didn’t rain until after lunch, and it was only a light shower. I cleaned the bathroom, picked up a lot of stuff that was just sitting around, which took a long time, and ironed. Not a very busy day, but I planned it that way by doing more earlier in the week.

Supper was simple: fish, beans, cole slaw. It was dinner time when the storm hit. Lots of lightning, thunder and rain. Dropped the temp about 10 degrees.

Our oil supplier sent “the plan” for the upcoming heating season. Basically there are two plans with the cheapest plan offering oil at $4.699 a gallon for up to 1377 gallons from September 1 to May 31, 2009. Gallons of oil in excess of 1377 would be charged the going market rate at the time. We’ve chosen this plan -- $4.699 a gallon -- which requires an up-front payment of $6,470.52….. by August 12! We just got the notice Thursday, July 31. A home equity line of credit will do the trick this year with an additional amount so Ron can buy a new boiler for the furnace. Hopefully the new system as well as additional conservation measures on our part will keep us at the 1377 gallon mark, rather than the over 1600 gallons we used last year.

It’s difficult for me to live behind the 8 ball, so to speak, when it comes to money. I’ve never had a lot of money, but I’ve never felt like a hamster in a wheel, running, running, running, trying to catch up. Saving for a big acquisition, whether it be oil to the tune of $6,500 or a vacation for $3,000, is what I’ve always done. Ron has lived his entire life differently, pretty much paying after the fact, and it’s not to my liking. Though I’m able to save for expensive necessities, because I came into the marriage with Ron behind, I too am now on the catch-up wheel with him.

Exercise – Huh? LOL

Today’s weather – A cloudy morning gave way to a sunny afternoon which gave way to a stormy late afternoon, early evening. It was warm today, mid 70s, but temp dropped to mid 60s after the storm.

Life lessons – I thought I had my life planned. Pretty much I thought if I was careful with money, I’d be ok what with my State retirement now and Social Security when it kicks in. Certainly I’d not live an extravagant life but that’s fine with me. Now I find myself worrying about money as I never have before. I really do need to revisit how to live in today and not worry so much about tomorrow.