More tuning

Did some more tuning on the bike. Seems the valves were slightly off time. Now I have better acceleration and a smoother ride!

Still not perfect. Going to do some more tuning later today. When it's a bit cooler.

I did have a little anxiety at the thought of driving the bike all the way to Colorado Springs if I have to. Figured the bike would make it but may have struggled with it on large inclines. While the bike has been dependable so far, it has been driving like what it is- a bike I paid less than $2000 for. A little weak and shaky at higher speeds. 

Now I feel a lot more confident. It may still slow down a bit on large inclines, especially since I'll have to mount and load the saddlebags with clothes and necessities. However, now I don't think it will be nearly as much of a struggle as before. 

I may take it out on a fairly strenuous test drive, just to make sure. It's nearly through the break-in period and I'm driving it normally. 

Hmm. Actually, there's a large hill a few miles down the road. Think I'll go take it up the hill now. 

Edit- Made it up the hill and back. No major problems. Not going to make major hills at 75 mph but 60-65 mph. That's okay for something that only has one cylinder. I'll see if any improvement after some more tuning. Timing still seems just slightly off to me. Plus I still have other things to check.

Stasis

In stasis. Suspended animation.

Waiting to hear back from two potential employers. Jobs I would prefer to have. Of course, those take longer to make a decision.

Meanwhile, holding back on applying with employers I expect would make decisions more quickly. Jobs I could probably be hired on but they are slightly less attractive to me at this time.

When you're younger, you can afford to take the first job you're offered. Though for younger people these days, even that window is less open. Further into your career, you have to look more closely at the long term effects on your entire resume. What image it sends about you as a person. What expectations it may cause from future employers. 

Right now, I'm trying to get my foot in the door to insurance and legal services. My medical background can be a definite bridge to those fields. 

Of course, I'm also hoping to make a decent living wage and bring everything back on track. Once I'm making sufficient income and have things stable, I want to go on a major push to get ahead. Pay off my student loan once and for all. If possible, within one year. (Though that may be unrealistic. 2-3 years would be more likely.) 

 

That late?

Hard to believe it's already 11:40 PM. Had a relatively productive day, though.

Tonight, got a haircut. Did some laundry. Did some minor shopping. 

Some of the tomatoes were getting on the upper edge of ripe. So, skinned and seeded them, then preserved them. Got two large canning jars out of them. 

The Candidiasis is still a battle. This is one of the worst things I've ever been through. Makes me dehydrated and really tired much of the time. That's because it consumes most of the sugar which enters the body, depriving cells of needed energy. Consuming more sugar just leads to more yeast growth. It also plays hell with my digestion. 

Saying it's one of the worst things I've been through is saying a lot. I've had back injuries, broken bones, Celiac disease, anemia, pneumonia and more. Nothing has really affected my energy like this. Getting better but slowly and it still really sucks. 

The bike has been running better since I did the mini-tune-up the other day. Accelerates more easily and smoothly. Still want to to some more fine-tuning and checking different things. If I may have to drive it to Colorado Springs, need to have it in good running condition. 

On that, I did check on accommodations and they said they will pay mileage and provide housing during training. That counts for a lot. Leaves three problems. One is making sure the animals have food and water. Second is- How can I ride my bike for 6-8 hours with a helmet and smoke an electronic cigarette while doing so? (jk)

The first weekend of training I won't be able to spend with my daughter. That's her first week of school. However, ex asked if I can take her a few extra days the week before school. That works out for me. Know daughter will still be bummed about it but if it works for the best, have to do it. At least it's only one weekend. 

Back on the learning curve

Looks like I am back on the learning curve. Not really required but in my best interest.

Ordered a book (online) to study for an insurance license. Started on that last night. Now starting to take a typing course. Trying as much as possible to type this without looking at the keyboard. Doing better than I thought I would. Except periods. On those I keep hitting the comma. 

Been spending most of the day on telephone and email for job tests and interviews. Hoping to hear something by the end of the week. 

Caught the other cat today. Wondering if these two are related, one black and the other black and white. They're both hiding out in the laundry room right now. 

Going to place the trap out one more time. I think these are the only two prowling the back yard but want to make sure before putting the chicks outside. If nothing trapped by tomorrow morning, can put them out tomorrow.

The house is now officially a zoo. Three dogs, two cats, two chicks and a colony of toads. 

Kitten

Been placing a medium animal trap in the back yard to catch cats before moving the chickens outside.

This morning, we caught a black kitten. It was scared at first but we let it roam the house. Then it disappeared. I found there was a small hole in the floor behind the water heater which I didn't know about. Covered it up and placed the trap back outside. 

This evening, daughter went in the office and heard faint meowing. Found the kitten in the closet, which has no door. Coaxed it out but it was still scared. I came to help and the kitten jumped up into the linen closet. I approached it calmly, let it smell me and then it let me pet it. 

Since then, it has been getting used to us and has adopted us. Daughter is unbelievably excited. Has not stopped talking all evening. At all. For one second. Seriously. My ears hurt. We named the kitten Midnight.

It occurred to me that this is the third time in my life that I have been going through major changes and a black cat entered my life in some way. Very odd. Maybe it runs back to the witches in the family. In any case, it has historically signaled some form of positive change (though I did not recognize it at the time in one case until later). 

How fast do those changes occur? Pretty fast. That does not mean those changes are not without conscious and concerted effort. But I'm not afraid of effort. 

Daughter has spent much of the weekend in water. Friday we went to Cliff's. She spent much time at the Water Monkies area. Sat she spent no small amount of time in the pool in the back yard. Today we went swimming. Tomorrow, the ex has reservations for the indoor water park at a local hotel for the two of them. Think the kid is going to grow gills and fins. 

No growers market

Daughter and I won't be going to the growers market in the morning. Not sure it will even take place. 

Too much rain and flash flooding here tonight. 

I'm not going to complain about it for our part. Other people much worse off. News says 27,000 people without power tonight. Several miles of highway shut down due to downed power lines. Meanwhile, streets had several inches of water. Glad we were home before all that began.

Found a second weak spot in the house during truly excessive rain. The first weak spot will cost under $20 to correct. This latest find will take a few hundred. However, I can correct both problems myself. 

Took daughter to Cliff's today. We had fun. Sadly, the Music Express was broken down. One of her favorite rides.

Couple of hopeful job prospects now. One is as legal consultant to a lawyer's office. Though it is a contract and pays slightly less than the second possible position, I would be most likely to take this one if offered. It could lead to a permanent position and it would benefit my resume considerably.

The second is still a good option. It would be working from home to coordinate radiology tests ordered by physicians. Basically, working indirectly with insurance again. That one would require me to go to Colorado Springs for a week of training. Before considering that one, I have to find out the conditions for housing during that week. Wouldn't be a bad thing, working from home. Reduces costs. It's also 8-5, Mon through Fri. Not sure of holidays. They did make it sound like it is a busy position. 

Depending on a number of factors, the home position may ultimately be a better option. It could allow me to run a second job at home, as long as it didn't cause any conflict. I'd have to get started before making any decisions. Have as much of the second on auto-pilot as possible and deal with hand-on stuff during off hours. 

Wait and see what transpires.  

Late start..kinda

Got a late start today, kind of. Slept a little late. Then been fielding phone calls and different things since then.

Supposed to speak with a company about doing work at home, ordering x-rays for patients remotely. Arranged an interview for Monday afternoon. 

Need to go to the plasma center. They had a power outage while I was there on Tue. Donating will pay most of the money for daughter and I to go to Cliff's tomorrow. 

Had one bike battery on the charger all night last night. Same battery which an auto parts store claimed was no good, yet it is holding a full charge. (Right after they told me that, I had installed it and drove away.) Now have the new battery on the charger. May have to take it off soon and go places. 

Need to clean house, do laundry, harvest vegetables and package stuff for the growers market. Take a look in the shed for my other scale. One I've got only weighs 1 lb. 

Get going here!

Second battery

My second battery for the bike came in today. Installed it and the bike started right up. Now I just need to alter the wiring in the bike, mount both batteries with a switch so if one battery dies, all I have to do is flip the switch to the other battery. 

So, I have the old battery on the slow charger, to allow it to gain a deep charge. Once that's complete, I'll put the charger on the new battery. Want them both completely charged. 

From what I've been reading, motorcycle batteries are even more unstable than I knew. It's not uncommon to have to replace them every six months. A really good battery, well maintained, may last up to 3 years. Makes me even happier to have gotten a spare.

Got an expected call today. The interview for tomorrow was canceled. My credit check didn't pass. Since it's an investment firm, it was no surprise.

Had an interview with Farmers Insurance today. Again, my credit could eliminate me as a possible candidate for employment. Still some chance. However, I was advised that getting a license as an insurance agent would greatly improve my chances. 

Had the second interview, as a forensic nurse with a legal office. That one sounds quite promising. They are moving my application forward. It is a contract position which would last for 3-4 months and may lead to a permanent position.

During that time, I can work on getting an insurance license. It will cost a few hundred dollars between training and testing. Something to shoot for, though.

Job hunt

It is really surprising how exhausting (and expensive) a job hunt can be these days.

I admit I have been spoiled in some respects for years. Before this, it has been really rare that I could not find a job. (Whether it was a job I really wanted is a different subject.)

Not going to complain much. Seems changing careers has opened a lot of doors. The construction of my resume does lend to that, at least to some degree. I have two interviews today, at least one tomorrow and may be able to line up another for tomorrow. One for insurance, one for forensic nurse, one for financial services so far. 

Changing careers after so long has been a stressful thought for a long time. That stress is fading for several reasons. One is that I had to finally see how badly I was being stabbed in the back. Then I had to have exposure to other areas which gave me some confidence. 

Many of the areas I am looking into right now involve sales. In the past, I was never much of a salesperson. Then again, the nature of sales has changed a bit. You can't be as aggressive in sales as you used to be, which is a good thing to me. I found salespeople to be quite rude in the past. Now you rely more on marketing and building relationships with customers. Those things I can do! So, that makes my chances of success much more likely. 

Okay, need a shower and such to get ready to go interview. 

No complaints

The job search has seriously stepped up. I have no complaints about that!

The insurance and financial services industry is difficult to get into. Even more so if you're my age and have had any employment difficulty. I think the majority of people in that field enter it right out of high school or college.

However, I am getting interviews. I have at least three interviews this week and may wind up with more this week or next. 

I have an interview with Farmers tomorrow. Going on intuition, if they offer me a solid position, I may well take that and cancel the other interviews. 

No matter what, in the long term, I am planning on getting two jobs in the near future. For security. Then keep both for quite some time. 

All of this may be just what my karma has been trying to tell me for a long time now. That it's time to pick up and move on to another career, out of clinical medicine. I have a feeling that this change is going to make a huge financial improvement for me. 

I feel no guilt. In 20 years of nursing, I have done a lot of good for a lot of people. Saved lives, eased pain, mentored and acted as an example, advised and more. Now it's time for me to think about me and my daughter for a change. I'm not getting younger and need to get my finances in better condition. 

Daughter isn't getting any younger and in a few years she will need money for college, a car and lots of other things. I want to be able to help her with those needs. I also want her to look at her father and be proud, not embarrassed. This is all aside from wanting to take her on real vacations to see other parts of the world. Or at least the US. (Though Europe would be nice..) 

More intense treatment

Ramping up on the Candidiasis treatment. Added Cayenne to my vitamin routine. However, I may take it several times a day for a while. 

Probably also add some garlic. Just raw crushed garlic from the dollar store. Cheaper than capsules. More potent raw, so I'll take like a teaspoon once a day. 

The vinegar, peroxide and salt have helped a lot. Maybe I'm just impatient but pretty sure I can improve things faster. It still tends to steal my energy a bit and decrease my heat tolerance. 

Not going to complain too much. I'd much rather it be something I can control (even long term) than something that will only get worse. Only three years ago I had an amazing heat tolerance, digging up bamboo in the heat of summer. 

I've realized I was probably prone to this for many years but my diet kept it at bay. My diet has changed over time, allowing the fungus to grow in my system. Years ago, I ate a lot more peppers and pickles which have antifungal properties. Not so much the last few years. So, I am really just adding those things back into my diet in some way.

 

Gardening and swimming

Cleaned the pool out really well. Daughter and I swam for a while today.

She helped me set some tomato cuttings today. If they take, that will be 45 new tomato plants. Did that around noon today and they all still look good right now. Give them a week or two and see how they do. 

Tied the tomato plants in the garden more today. From the looks of things, there are currently over 100 tomatoes growing. Other vines which haven't produced are maturing well. 

Think daughter is ready for summer to be over. She wanted to pretend like it was winter. Made a drawing of a fire and placed a red LED lamp behind it in the fireplace. Made hot chocolate for us. 

Love her imagination, though it is encouraged and she has examples from both her mother and I. Her mother is rather artistic, though in a more conventional way. I do have a creative and artistic side but it manifests less conventionally, in window painting and murals, mostly. I did make a false fire in the fireplace one year using rope lights. Most of it is all her, though. She comes up with ideas which I would never conceive of. Draws inspiration from all around her. 

I have to get some sleep tonight. Have an interview tomorrow afternoon. 

Paycheck

Finally got my paycheck for the first reviews I completed. Still have another check in a couple of weeks. This one wasn't much, just $162. Enough to get through the weekend, do something special with daughter.

For safety, I used part of it a few moments ago to buy a spare battery for the scooter. Had it happen a couple of times that the battery died on me. (Usually from making short trips where battery didn't have time to charge after starting.) I've been lucky and been close to some resources each time which prevented major problems. Still, not a situation I would want to be in if out in the sticks. Better to have a spare with me. Battery is small, so won't take up a lot of room. 

Got the mortgage modification paperwork last night. Filled it out and faxed it a short while ago. Hoping for the best.

No call from the insurance company yet. Was hoping I would hear something today. If nothing else, I have an interview on Monday for an office job which starts in a few weeks. Pay isn't great and it's a contract position but it can be a bridge to something else. 

Need to go grocery shopping for some additional items which I couldn't spare money on yesterday. Then need to clean house. 

Looks promising

The insurance thing is beginning to look promising.

I have an interview on Monday with one company. Supposed to get a call back from a district manager with another company. The district manager is from Farmers, who appears to offer the best training in the industry. 

Mail came earlier. No check. Had to go donate plasma. Realized I can't donate on Monday because the first time I went this week was Tue. Can only donate twice in 7 days. Hope my check comes but have enough to squeeze by. 

Going to take a rest and go get some groceries.

Frustrated

Kind of frustrated. Waiting for my (small) check from doing reviews. Payday was supposed to be Mon. No direct deposit. Checked and was told checks were mailed on Tue. 

Kind of congested this morning. I was thinking of donating plasma but if I'm congested, that's out. 

Waiting to hear back from a couple of insurance companies. I have had some contact with Farmers and responded. Now waiting for further word from them. 

So, right now I am waiting for the mail. Which has been coming much later than it used to. Of course, not sure my check will even arrive today. 

Also waiting for the paperwork from the bank. That was allegedly mailed on Mon but not here yet. Could have sworn they said it would be sent express or priority mail. 

I would have made a rotten salesperson when I was younger. However, that has changed over time. I cannot and will not be a hard sell kind of person. Many companies want sales people who have gone to college for sales. (I didn't even know until the last couple of years there were such classes.) I have no urge to learn how to be invasive and annoying. I do have knowledge of marketing and prefer that. I think I could be a really good salesperson for some products, like insurance. 

Quite a few tomatoes are ripening but does not appear to be enough to sell at the growers market. I am allowing the tomatoes to ripen on the vine. See how things look this evening, since they ripen in the heat of the day. 

Have to get some online forms filled in today. That's truly tedious but necessary.

 

Resume out

I did update resume yesterday. Made cover letter integral with the resume. My resume is  pages long and only covers my nursing career. No need to go adding pages. At some point it becomes too much information and is burdensome. 

Started getting resume and applications out. 

I have one offer so far, less insurance than financial planning. They tend to have similar and often common admin practices, so could help. Besides, it's employment. 

The company I would most like to work for is Farmer's Insurance. They provide training and financial backing that no other company offers, which would be very valuable. 

It has occurred to me to start my own agency. In doing so, I could potentially offer several different brands of insurance. Mostly trying to avoid conflict while offering different forms of insurance. Such as Farmer's does not offer medical insurance. To offer that, I would have to offer another brand. One agent offering any form of insurance a person or company needs would be a great benefit and make good business sense.

Have to get my foot in the door, first.

Right now would be a really good time to get into the insurance field. The economy is improving but still slow. Federally mandated health insurance will take effect within 1 1/2 years. 

If becoming an independent agent, I could probably start from home. If zoning allows, I could transform the front room into an office for the purpose. (With some investment.) If I could manage to make the business grow enough, eventually employ help and then open an office nearby. 

Some people do not want to do business in the south valley. However, I see a lot of hidden growth and improvement happening here. Not long before those things become more apparent. Better to already be in place before that occurs. 

Dollar store dinners

Back to dollar store dinners and the plasma center this week. I made a mistake and paid too much toward bills. Forgot one automatic payment. That left me with no money at all. 

That led me to go back to the plasma center. Had to stop donating plasma some weeks ago because it was making me very ill. Whenever I went, it made me so exhausted that I could not function the rest of the day. Today, that didn't happen. I was tired for a while but ate, drank and rested for a while. 

Then got up and trimmed the grass and weeds in the garden and the front yard. 

After that, I built another, temporary electric fence across the front yard. Neighbors have been allowing their annoying small dogs run the neighborhood and they have been crapping in my yard. So, since they won't control their dogs, I'll do it for them. 

I do still feel achy. Though I am wondering how much of the fatigue previously may have been caused by Candidiasis. At this point, everything is in control enough to be able to deal with it. That's good because I have to go again on Thur or Fri and on Mon. Only way I can make it through until next Tue. 

On the other hand, I should be able to sleep really well tonight.
 

More active search

I wrote the other day about a possible career change to insurance. Been many years since I had to make such a change in direction. I've been rather passive, forgetting that these changes have required effort on my part in the past. Can't sit here and wait for something to fall into my lap. Nothing has ever worked that way for me.

Judging from my past, it will take a period of uncertainty, gaining my feet (which I do much easier at this point in my life) and intense study before it really takes off.

My biggest concern right this minute is my appearance. My dental problems are the biggest thing. I really think it would be best if I started out in the back office, learning the processes and procedures for a while. Save enough money and get dentures. Then get involved in more direct customer contact. The knowledge would be beneficial in the long run. 

I still want to build up the woodshop and get things going in that direction, also. 

No matter what, it's definitely time to move away from nursing. The thought of going back to inpatient clinical care almost gives me panic attacks at this point. Not something I am prone to. Been through over 300 code blues and never freaked out or locked up. Been on the wrong end of a fun four times, always remained functioning. Was on alert in Germany when the Wall came down. Stayed calm. Once again, it's not the patient care that makes me anxious but the backstabbing. 

However, it seems I have become more prone to various medical issues, myself in the past few years. It may be in my own best interest to avoid placing myself at risk.

So, going to update my resume and write a new cover letter today. Get those out this evening. 

Slow day

Took daughter back to her mother's house this morning. Miss her already.

Not much going on. Too wet and threat of more rain today, so not a good day to go talk with old agencies. Do that tomorrow. 

Also not a great day to cut grass. May get out shortly and pull some weeds. It is a good day for that because they come out with roots intact and a lot less work. Depends on if it starts raining again.

Definitely not complaining about the rain. Remarked to daughter this morning that it doesn't even feel like New Mexico. She agreed and we both agreed this was a really good thing. So many things are green right now that it doesn't even look like NM. 

Of course, none of the rain is going to stop the water utility from charging extra for anything they can. 

The weather forecast has changed to eliminate all predictions of any temps above 92 degrees. Temp now is 73. In July. In Albuquerque. Unbelievable. I love it!

Still a bit of a battle with Candidiasis. Better now than I was. Understand that I've been dealing with this for much longer than I realized.

There is not actual cure for this. For one thing, it's too prevalent. Candida is everywhere. Eliminate it and you just encounter it again. All of us carry it around, probably from birth or before birth. The only thing that can be done is control it. 

Some things I've been doing are to gargle with salt water, baking soda or peroxide. Those help. I also started doing something I did a lot when I was younger. Drinking diluted vinegar and salt. I did it years ago as a liver cleanse. And because I liked it. Never knew it had other benefits. (I also used to drink a lot of pickle juice, which is the same thing, with flavoring. And ate lots of pickles.) Going to keep taking those steps several times a day. Shouldn't take too long to bring it under control. Then maybe make it a daily routine.  

Half lazy day

Daughter and I were both lazy for a good part of the day today. Then I got out, cleaned the pool and told her she could go swimming if she wanted. Shortly after, she put on her swimsuit and went out to the pool. I followed shortly after that. 

After a while, I got out of the pool, put some old scrubs over my swimsuit and did some work in the garden.

Lightning came up and I made her exit the pool. However, we stayed outside, enjoying the drizzle and wind. I continued working in the garden. She picked stray carrots and some grapes. Plus one small pumpkin. Played with the oldest dog. (The younger ones are too unruly even for her.) 

Watched some TV, read several chapters of a book we've been reading for a while. She was falling asleep and still wanted to keep reading. She is an excellent reader but still enjoys me reading to her. 

Yesterday, we went to an open space which she wants to return to later. Also went to Tingley Beach, fed the ducks and geese, tried fishing. She got a bite but the line broke and it got away. She also caught two butterflies. 

Been a pretty good weekend. 

Health issue

Been having big problems with fatigue lately. Also been having problems with digestion and heat tolerance.

Long story short, figured something out last night. I have a fungal (Candidiasis) infection. While the most common problems I have seen leading to the diagnosis involve problems swallowing, I have not had that. 

Can't afford a doctor. So, started taking steps to treat it as best I can at home for now, until I can get to a doctor. Feel better this morning but have to keep treating it to at least keep it at bay.

It's no big surprise that I have this. Celiac disease interferes with absorption if some nutrients into the body. I have also been taking antihistamines, which can increase the chances of getting it. Toss in 18 years of nursing (and maybe gardening as well) and it was almost a sure bet. Kind of funny I would get it after being celibate for four years because that's the most common route of transmission.

Have to up my vitamin intake for some things. The infection can further block the absorption of the same vitamins which cause susceptibility. That can ultimately mead to B12, folate and iron deficiency. All that leads to chronic fatigue, anemia, digestive problems and heat intolerance. (Plus depression, mood swings and other things.)

Loan modification

After employment problems for so long, I finally had to inquire about a mortgage loan modification today. It's looking promising. In my favor that I have been continuing to try making what payments I could. It would be a big relief if that goes through.

Got the grape vine, apple and plum tree cuttings done today. Know if they take root in a few weeks. 

Kind of an odd thing. There seem to be more positions opening up for LPN's in paperwork related positions than clinical lately. I've been applying for a variety of positions, mostly involved with insurance companies. After two positions doing medical record reviews and now a strangely concentrated number of insurance related positions being prominent, that may be the direction I am meant to be taking. 

I do believe my life has been led in various directions at different times. Much of it I did not realize until after the fact. Other times, it's really a matter of paying attention to the right signs. This time, seeming a bit obvious. While I have had many clinical applications out, I have wound up working for two (hired by three) companies for chart reviews. Now at this time, the highest number of LPN positions being posted on all job boards are for an insurance company seeking LPN care managers. Of two positions posted on the local paper's classified for LPN, one is for what amounts to a forensic LPN position with a lawyer. In response to my resume, one of which was anonymous, I have received at least three replies from insurance companies. How many clinical positions have called? None. And I keep getting stabbed in the back and blackballed in clinical jobs. 

Okay, so I am looking closely at the insurance positions. Now all I need is for someone to offer me a real job. I admit I am much more open to that line of work than at any time in my past. It actually sounds like something I would enjoy and be quite good at. At this point in my life, any way. Not so much when I was younger. Probably a good time to be entering that field, also. 

Not much different

I updated a few resumes online last night. Not much changing in the employment field. Just may change in a few weeks, not sure. Some people scale back or stop working when school starts again. Posted my resume online without my name, also.

Finances suck. I have about $40 to last through Tue morning. I do have groceries, though. Unfortunately, need to buy dog food. Was hoping to receive my first check from Unival by now but that hasn't happened. Not a big check but it would help. 

Daughter and I will have to be imaginative this weekend. 

Need to clean house today. Been a bit lazy about it. 

Going to take a few cuttings from grape vines and fruit trees and try propagating them. If I can do that, it may open up more means of revenue in the future. Could also move my old idea forward of planting fruit trees in public spaces. Most sources say the best time to propagate vines and trees is in fall or early spring. However, other sources say it can be done if you remove the leaves. So, have to give it a shot and see how it works out. 

Alternatives

Went to my review site from yesterday. Had to mail the reviews and pick up blank forms. 

The lady in the office was nice. Empathized. Also suggested I may look at Medical Assistant positions. Good suggestion.

Went and renewed with my last agency. One of my favorite staffing coordinators is there. Everything was current, so we just visited for a while. 

I'll probably check with more agencies tomorrow or Monday. If I have to go back to agencies, it's best to expand my options.

I finally gave in. Too many squash bugs causing too much damage. I sprayed poison on the pumpkin plants only. There are more pumpkin plants coming up, so if I don;t get them under control now, they'll wipe out everything. 

Figured out I can harvest and sell seeds as well as produce. Mostly sunflower seeds. Can't cook them, only sell them raw. Otherwise they're considered a food product and subject to health department regulation. So, as the sunflowers drop their blooms, I'm cutting the heads off to save the seeds. Cut down the stalks and set them aside to dry, chip and compost later. 

Can also sell pumpkin, Cosmos and Marigold seeds.

Have to make some phone calls tomorrow and see how I can configure things to best survive for a while. It was a big blow to have those 10 reviews cut out from under me right at this time. 

Or not

Maybe not such great karma. 

Got a letter from the bank. They're referring my mortgage for foreclosure. I'll call and try for a loan modification. If that's refused (as I'm expecting), from what I hear, it takes at least two months for a foreclosure to go through. Going to keep paying what I can. 

Several things involved here. One is that they add in the following month to the total to be current. Then they refuse to acknowledge partial payments when calculating how far behind you are. If you're $5 behind for the month, they count you a full month's payment behind. Then they keep piling on late charges. My best bet is to overcome the late charges and bring myself where they cannot claim I am more months behind than I am. If I can stave them off until I get paid for this week, I can bring myself a full month closer to current. 

Been having problems with the bike battery charging properly. Also been having issues with the idle speed dropping too low. The two were related. Adjusted to idle speed tonight and it cured the problem, far as I can tell. When they fixed the bike, they left some plastic guards out. Have to fabricate some new ones. I think maybe cargo bouncing around may have hit the idle screw. Besides, don't want things dropping through the holes. It's also been vibrating at high speed. Found out the tires were low on air. Aired them up and hope it's more stable after this. Know tomorrow morning. I've had it up to 70. Didn't take it higher because of vibration. If it vibrates less, may see what the max speed is tomorrow. Not like I'd be going any faster than the testosterone junkies that get their manhood threatened by a 51 year old man on a $1900 scooter.

Karma?

Maybe it's karma. I only have a few weeks of UI benefits remaining. I am trying to find a job without much success. As the end of my benefits comes closer, I'll be looking at options I have mostly left off the table for now. Good reasons for it.

However, it may just be karma holding me back. My daughter is on her school vacation right now. I haven't been able to afford to do a whole lot but she has still enjoyed spending extra time with me. Few minutes ago, I looked up her school schedule. Looks like her vacation ends a few weeks before my benefits end. Maybe it's karma that is letting us spend more time together. 

My benefits also end as my garden is maturing. Maybe that will help somewhat. Still seasonal and won't help much or for long. Still wish I had the money for a few more tools and supplies to get the woodworking off the ground. Once I am working consistently, that is going to be a high priority. (After a few more crucial things, of course.) Once I am able to get the tools and supplies, I will be spending a lot of free time building items to sell. 

Got my reviews done today. Happy for that. I still have more at the same location tomorrow. Then at another location on Friday. Only taking me a little over an hour for each clinic, now that I don't have to print and mail charts. Did five clinics today but that's because they were all centralized in one location. If they're in different locations, I may be able to do 3 a day because of lunch and closing schedules. If I can find locations that don't close the medical records office for lunch, I can manage 4-5 per day. 

The scooter is showing immense benefit on this. Low gas cost and no overheating problems. Two gallons will carry me about 140 miles. Not pushing that to the limit. The bike is also breaking in well and easier to ride. Some parts have been a bit stiff until now but working in nicely. Front brake finally stopped making noise. That was a bit irritating. 

Okay, I have laundry and grocery shopping to do. 

Lots of rain

Had lots of rain tonight. More rain than I have seen here in at least two years. Actually resulted in a bit of a flash flood for a while.

Neighbors a few doors down had water back up in their driveway and into their front door. I joined in a group effort to bail the driveway out, which took over an hour with 5 gal buckets and a bilge pump. Luckily, it stopped raining while we were bailing. Hope they didn't have any major damage.

I finally arranged 5 more reviews for Friday. That brings me to 17 reviews scheduled this week. Try to get the rest set up early next week. 

Not really sure how long each review will take. Guessing not long, once I get through one more which I have to print and mail. That will be the first one Tuesday, then I'm done with that. 

I have one location set up for two days this week. Hoping to finish it in one and schedule another place but that's not likely. They prefer at least a couple of days notice. 

Guess I should stop writing and get some sleep. Have to be up early. 

More swimming

After a lazy day yesterday, daughter and I got out and a bit more active today.

Went to the growers market this morning. There were only a couple of people selling and they were selling things I'm either growing or neither of us eat. Otherwise, it was real proof other growers are having the same problems I am. Rep from the market said it's the same statewide. 

Went to the dollar store for supplies to fix the swimming pool. Got an inflatable ring. When we got home, I cut it up and used PVC glue to attach the valve from the ring on the pool. It had to dry for two hours.

So, we went swimming at the indoor pool. Stayed there for quite a while. 

Got home and I inflated the pool, topped off the water, skimmed and added chemicals. Of course, she jumped right in. 

Later we went to the store nearby. She rode her bike and I walked. Made that a fairly long trip. 

Not exactly running marathons but some activity. I need to start getting more exercise as an example to her. 

Fixed, not fixed

Installed the radiator today. Seems to be okay, though I let it idle for a while and didn't drive it yet.

On the other hand, wrote to the swimming pool company about the part needed for the pool. They say they don't sell the air valves and advise replacing the entire pool. That for one of the most likely parts of the pool to break or wear. When I first bought the pool, I had to buy a bigger filter unit because the one that came with the pool wasn't strong enough. Then I had to order adapters because the filter unit connections didn't fit. 

Simply put, I will never buy another Intex pool and would not advise them to anyone else. 

I can fix this but was seeking parts that match. I don't know where to get a valve that size, so I'll have to use a smaller one. 

Trimmed the grass in the front yard. Just used the trimmer. Not perfect but better. Get the back yard in the morning.

Ran some of the branch pile through the chipper this evening. Most of it still so green it doesn't chip very well. Wait a few more weeks to get the rest. 

Making a small batch of cookies. Got chicken and hot dogs. Got fireworks yesterday. Means daughter and I will be ready for 4th of July weekend. 

Less than planned

Didn't get the radiator installed today. However, I did go get fireworks, which I had planned to do most likely tomorrow. Drove out to the place I got fireworks for New years in Peralta. Nice people and they sell Black Cat fireworks. Most places here sell TNT, which are mostly pretty lame. The ground blooms from TNT are better than Black Cat. 

Couldn't afford much but got some things I hope daughter will like. Good assortment. Still spent less than I would if going to the Balloon Fiesta Park. 

One of the dogs chewed the inflation valve off of the swimming pool. I can repair it but have to get a new valve. Problem is finding one. Wrote to the manufacturer to see if I can get one there and how much it will cost. 

Moved the electric fence to encompass the pool. I had tried to avoid doing that because it reduces the shade available for the dogs. Now they're just going to have to deal with it. The fence is short and they could easily jump over it. However, if I find they're doing that, I'll reconfigure the fence again. This time to restrict them to a much smaller section of the yard, where they can do no extensive damage. It will also mean they will have a much smaller area of shade and much less room to run and play. However, if that's what it takes to control them that's what I'll do. At least for a while. 

Happy to say the bike is working fine. I checked the charging system before driving anywhere and it checked out. However, I know how electrical problems can be sporadic. So I made a couple of short local hops before driving to Peralta. Still, I was nervous driving out that far. Made it there and back without incident. 

Even took another little ride later on just for enjoyment. Weather cooled down and there was a chance of rain. It sprinkled lightly while I was riding and it felt really good!

Plans for the day

Kinda mundane. Ex picked daughter up a short while ago. Just figuring out priorities for the rest of the day.

Have to go pick up the radiator. Install that this evening.

Have some necessary shopping. Most shopping will wait until grocery ads come out and sales start tomorrow.

Have to make some phone calls this afternoon. Get more reviews lined up. I have 11 reviews arranged for next week so far.

True to form, nobody wants to arrange reviews this entire week. That's NM. Most offices stopped doing anything last week because there is a holiday later this week. They'll drag themselves into accomplishing something by the middle of next week. They cannot resolve themselves to the idea of a holiDAY instead of a holiMONTH. 

Going to go get a few fireworks for the 4th this week.

Have to be cautious. Been having some problems with the scooter battery. Found the scooter dead yesterday. Charged the battery. Seems to be working okay now. Going to check the charging system before driving it anywhere. I think I'm going to get a spare battery for the bike, any way. The battery for this bike is small and I could carry a spare in the trunk. Better than getting stuck somewhere. Probably cost less than tow truck would, also. 

Another day with kiddo

The ex had things going on, making it difficult for her to pick daughter up today. Waiting for a replacement radiator, I couldn't drop her off. So she spent an extra day with me. Never a bad thing!

We didn't do much. Swimming. She spent half the day in the pool. Went to BK for a small late lunch. My bicycle had a flat, so I walked and she rode her bike. Reading. Just general playing around.

She wrote a song today and sang it to me. It was really good! Girl has natural talent! I really hope she continues with that. I tend to think it's part of her because she was making up songs when she was 3 years old and often sang while I carried her on my shoulders. She is a little shy about singing but I hear her singing to herself a lot of the time and they are songs she makes up. Singing in front of me today indicates she's getting over the shyness about singing. (Note: That has been her only apparent shy area.)

While she was swimming, I thinned out Cosmos from around the tomato plants. Did some more support tying. Cut down lots of cilantro to save the seeds. 

Still some battle with squash bugs. Grr!

Looks like the weather may start cooling down. Got a cool break this evening. Little rain (very little), some cloud cover and some cool breezes. Such a relief. Forecast calls for mostly cooler temps over next few weeks. However, that doesn't always remain true. I am hoping for a gradual decline in heat.