Feeders

J. put up a couple hummingbird feeders in the backyard this week.  I have seen a bunch of hummingbirds searching - they approach every wind chime hanging from the patio cover looking for nectar.  I felt bad for them that the shiny things were attracting them but then didn't reward them for being so brave and approaching the house so closely.

I was ecstatic yesterday when I saw two hummingbirds at one of the new feeders!  Yeah - success! Equally as ecstatic to enjoy leisurely time where noticing things like that is the reward for doing not too much of anything.

J. is at church this morning.  H. is napping after a busy evening - he and J. went to Gallo Center for Lewis Black.  Sounds like it was a great show.  H. went out with friends to 'the beach' - a place in the Delta where young adults hang out.  He got home late (early) and is now napping a bit.  Mainly he's sleeping 'cuz his Mama reminded him that he has to work today and you can't do your best work on a conveyor assembly line if you aren't well rested.

I am catching up on cooking shows and balancing the check book.  I hope to be showered and dressed by 10 this morning - a couple of hours ahead of yesterday.  Will head outside to work in the yard a bit.  We're working on cleaning out dead stuff from the ground and feeding all the plants as we head into Fall.  I call it 'winterizing' 'cuz when Fall really gets here, it's too cold (and usually too wet) to do a lot outside.

We talked to B. yesterday.  He's working really hard on keeping up with his bank balance and obligations.  He called my work cell phone this week (which I always answer - even if I'm in a meeting - I just say 'excuse me, but my soldier is calling') to confirm that his car insurance had already come out.  His balance was really low and he was worried that car insurance hadn't come out - which would mean he would need a short term cash flow loan.  But, it was OK.  His car insurance had been paid already.  Yesterday, he called to confirm that he's spent a lot of money this weekend - there is a funeral there this week (a soldier who has been fighting to survive injuries he suffered five months ago) and B. was asked to be the soldier who checks in everyone who attends.  That requires his dress uniform which needed cleaning ($50!) and also updating his pins and patches (another $25).

Then he had to order new boots for an upcoming activity - another $110.  Yikes.  And he had to pay his car payment to us.  (His old car was in front of our house yesterday as the new owner visited her family across the street).  It made my heart hurt a bit to see it there - just like when B. was here.  I miss that kid.

J. applied for Social Security officially on Friday.  The only 'regret' I have is that we could have collected SS for the past year or so - it isn't affected by his severance.  Had we known that, we could have saved all that 'extra' money and used it to pay down the equity line - or something.  Though J. reminds me that had we done that, it would have been at a reduced amount - the extra year of waiting is another $150 a month forever....so I guess there's that....

It's a complicated process.  Next is his pensions.  Then we await December when the only income we will have from him is those - or savings.  We will both be 'paid' once a month - so cash flow will become something else to keep an eye on as the month progresses.

At least with H. working we are enjoying a decrease in 'outflow'.  Well, sort of.  He won't get paid until next week - so we've fronted him some cash to get him through the two weeks - he does need to grab a quick dinner and needs money for that.  (He did pack a dinner the first couple nights - but once we said we would loan him $, he prefers to eat out - it's what people do, apparently).

OK - I've already missed my 10AM 'must be dressed by' deadline.  Time to go!