Hail Storms Across Texas

Texas has been getting plummeted by weather lately. Between floods and hail, insurance companies are bogged down with claims. Up until last Saturday we had a run of good luck avoiding damage.

Early Saturday morning my husband bolted from our bed. I could hear thunder and hail pounding our home. Then crashing and cracking noises filled my ears. It was evident when lightening lit up the sky, our home was suffering.

In the daylight we found both skylights cracked. Three sides of our vinyl siding destroyed. And the roofs on all three structures on our property are done for. All three cars got pelted and we lost two windshields.

The insurance adjuster came out yesterday. Homeowners does not cover the damage to the vehicles. Guess what? We just canceled the full coverage auto a few months ago. Go figure. 

Well, the next few weeks there's going to be a lot of construction activity around here. But that's okay because our home deserves to continue to look good. I just hope the contractor we hire does a good job.

Half Price Books: My Experience Selling

Yesterday, I went to Half Price Books to sell some books, CDs and electronics. I had some good stuff Suze Orman, Suzanne Summers, among others for books (about 10 of them). Some new-age talk tapes and lower ranking motivational books that I threw in the batch. I put about 20 pop, rock, and rap CDs in the mix (Brittney Spears, Kesha, and Coolio et. al.). And, Some great Leap Pad and Leapsters games and consoles that I even still had the boxes and paperwork for.

Everything was in better than good condition, most of it was "like new".

$10.50

Yep, that's it, ten dollars and 50 cents. I had decided before I went in, I was taking whatever they offered. Otherwise, the stuff was going to the Salvation Army.

My assumption about that place is they give you about 10% of what they are going to sell the stuff for. Had I the time, or want to, I would have sold the stuff on Ebay or had a garage sale.

But, it is what it is.

If you just want to get rid of your old books, you're only going to get pennies on the dollar and Half Price Books. If you want more, you're going to have to put some effort in it and sell the stuff yourself.

Dealing with the Loft

I'm still dredging through my Spring Cleaning. I'm really taking my time this year because I have set a few personal goals that are dependent on great results. Yesterday I started tackling the loft.

The loft used to be the nursery. When the oldest went to college, the little one took over her room. The loft became a big old storage dump. Whatever I couldn't get rid of, or didn't know what to do with, got put in the loft.

It hasn't been pleasant walking by and seeing boxes of unused stuff just sitting there. Granted, because of my little problem with OCD, it's been organized chaos. Organized chaos is still chaos in my book. Well this spring, I'm fixing the problem.

Today I'm going to donate several boxes of baby items to our local help center. After that I'm heading to Half Price Books to see what I can get for some old books, CDs, and electronic games. I'll follow up this post with how that turns out.

Wish me luck!

Driver's Education

My teen has begun driver's education. Woe is me. We were going to do self-taught but decided to put her in the school classes at the last minute. We found out that insurance companies offer discounts to teen drivers that take the classes.

Having a kid in these classes ride in a car with you is trying on your patients. The other day she was telling me about her friend taking her driving test, which she failed the first go around. She said one thing she did not do is signal when she turned into a parking space.

My lovely teen pointed out to me I do not signal when I park. I said, "I do when there is a car behind me." Her response, "NO, you don't ever signal in a parking lot! You're supposed to." I told her again that I do, but she must not have seen me or noticed.

Now she watches every move I make when I am driving. Considering this, I am doing everything from signaling when there is not another car in sight, stopping completely at every stop sign, and putting my hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel.

For the last year or so, I have been enlightening her on specific traffic laws. For instance, there is a little known law that requires you to have your headlights on if your windshield wipers are on. I did not know about the law until I heard it on the radio. Apparently, the DJ was pulled over and got a ticket for it. So, I guess it's a good thing to know.

I hope I can survive driver's education. We are coming to the end of the second week with two more to go. She is getting her learner's permit next week. God, help me!

My High Blood Pressure Follow-up Appointment

Yesterday afternoon I went for a follow-up appointment for my high blood pressure. The doctor prescribed another medication besides Procardia. He wants me off Procardia. I am glad because Procardia costs about $40 bucks a month, even with our insurance.

He gave me Prinzide. It's an ACE inhibitor combined with a diuretic. The generic form of Prinzide (Lisinopril, Hydrochlorothiazide) is only $5 a month.

I have to get some blood work done tomorrow morning. I will be fasting tonight. No coffee for me in the morning...I do not know how I'll go without it, but you can be sure I will have some when I get home.

The doctor and I were discussing my medical history. It's a long one. I won't bore you with all the details. I will mention about ten years ago I was diagnosed with mild hypothyroidism, which I had gotten under control taking prescribed medications and herbal remedies. I was able to eliminate the prescription after a time. Maybe hypothyroidism never goes away?

Well, as I am, I quit taking the supplements that were keeping me in check. I really need to stop doing that. After I post this, I'm pulling out my supplement bible to figure out what it was I was taking...

He is thinking my thyroid is acting up again and causing my blood pressure to flare. This would be best I think. Of course we will not know anything until I get my blood work done.

I did a little hypothyroid search before writing this post and I don't think my thyroid is the case. I do not have any of the noted symptoms. Okay, maybe I'm a little irritable sometimes...

The doctor will also be checking my Cholesterol, kidney and liver functions, screening for diabetes, plus a few other things that escape my memory. (Darn Vampires!) Wait, memory loss is a symptom of hypothyroidism too!

He told me he wants me to drop a few pounds. I think I look pretty good, but whatever. Hmmm, unexplained weight gain is a symptom too!

Shesh, can a thyroid malfunction cause a person's blood pressure to go that high? I guess we will soon find out.

He gave me the standard spiel of cutting salt, caffeine, and monitoring my diet for good and bad stuff. I don't know if I can handle cutting out my coffee. I quit drinking sodas years ago and coffee is all I enjoy.

I have to monitor my blood pressure at home for the next few weeks. I've been doing that anyway, but now I have to keep a record for him.

As soon as my ankle is healed, I will be returning to my walking regimen and I am going to increase my exercise routine. By the way, he said my ankle looks really good.

I'm not going to let this high blood pressure stand in my way.