Wonderful Wednesday--An Unusually Good Day!

Several good things happened today. I made a deposit in my checking, relocated my cubicle at work to a better spot, was able to make a flexible doctor appointment, didn't get stressed even though I got home late AND someone bought my book.

It's always nice to get a surprise check in the mail. We recently received the government check to spur on the economy and yesterday I took another one to the bank that we got from my husband's Hartford Annuity. Apparently there was a class action and this was a settlement check.

Also, at work, I just relocated to finally be right outside the office of one attorney I work for. I've worked for him for probably around 15 years now and this is the first time I'll actually be close to his office! It was a beautiful day so I enjoyed my lunch time at the library garden.

Another good thing that happened was that I had a good book to read while waiting about a half hour for my bus. This time my husband had his cell phone with him so i was able to give him the heads up. The traffic was going nowhere when I got out of work due to being re-routed for a special concert on Public Square to celebrate the holiday early. Time goes fast when I'm reading a good book so even though it took me over an hour to get home, I wasn't stressed out about it.

I called our doctor's office to make an appointment for Gerard and me for our annual checkups on our vacation week coming up the week of July 14. Isn't that how everyone spends their vacation? Anyhow, I kiddingly asked if we could come the day it rains that week and the secretary said "yes"! She was serious too! I was so shocked, I asked What happened, did all his patients die?" but she said it was a wide open week since they'll just be getting back from vacation and that I could listen to the forecast and let her know a day ahead.

To top off the day on a positive note, when I checked my email, I discovered that one of my blogging friends just purchased my book ("My Funny Dad, Harry") from Amazon yesterday. Thanks Rene'!

Organizing Tip of Week 3: Paying Bills On Time

Put bills to pay right in checkbook in order of when they are due. As soon as I get a bill, I mark on the envelope the due date and the amount and put it into my checkbook in order of due date. This helps me remember to pay them when I mark our check deposits.

It is also incentive to pay them quickly because the big envelopes take up so much room in my purse! The phone bill is in the biggest, most cumbersome envelope so that one I usually pay right away, just so I don't have to keep trying to fit it in my purse.

Over 300 Pounds and down to 140!

When I met Gerard he weighed around 140 BUT when he was in high school, he weighed over 300 pounds! I couldn't picture him that big but he showed me a picture. It was hard to believe he lost so much weight. I was very impressed because I know how hard it is too lose weight. When I asked him how he did it, he said "will power."

THEN(high school)

When he was in high school he went to school, came home, watched TV and ate out of boredom. High School was a very tough time for him so he was pretty depressed. If you've read "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult or "Please Stop Laughing at Me" by Jodee Blanco, Gerard says he was just like the kids in those books that got picked on constantly.

Gerard was not active at all until he graduated and started working. Then the weight came off since he was on his feet all day loading and unloading trucks for a warehouse and then also shot hoops in his backyard. After his parents died, he also did all the house cleaning and enjoyed doing yardwork and taking care of roses. Since he was busier, he didn't eat as much.

So, how do you lose weight? Get active and don't just sit and eat in the evenings.

He looks so different! He doesn't even look like the same person NOW.

UPDATED 8/28/10:  His current weight is 130!

Goofy Phone Calls

From time to time we get some annoying goofy phone calls. I noticed it more when our answering machine broke. We went without one for about 2 weeks and then I bought a new one.

One call is for David Roman. We've lived here for ten years now and we still get a recorded message asking for David Roman. I called back and told them he doesn't live here and they say they'll mark their records and I won't get anymore calls. Then about a month or so later, we get another call looking for David Roman.

Another goofy one we get is for Karen Weekly. I think she lived here before us, but I don't have her number and again I tell them she doesn't live here. I don't get these calls very often, but still, after living here ten years, you'd think they'd get the message.

The third goofiest call of all came from some place saying my husband owes $499 and if he doesn't pay, they'll take him to court. This is very upsetting to us because we always pay our bills promptly. They wouldn't talk to me because they close before I get home. Supposedly, they say we owe for some magazine subscription package he purchased in 2005! We did subscribe to magazines then, but there's no way would we ever spend that much on a magazine package! They wouldn't take a credit card and refused to send us an invoice. They said they've already sent them. Well, we didn't get any. This whole call is very upsetting. I told my husband to just forget it, but then they called again about a month later. After they threatened my husband with legal action and said it would be in our best interest to pay it or we'd end up having to pay even more, my husband gave in and paid with our bank debit card after I told him not to. At first I was very angry coming home on the bus after he told my on my cell phone that he paid it. He didn't get a name of the company or the phone number. They gave him some verification number that will show on our bank statement they said. So far, it hasn't shown up--another puzzle to me. I can't really be mad at my husband because if I had gotten the call, I might have done the same thing, but I am very disturbed by the call. When we bought a car just last July and they checked our credit, it was great.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice. I really am at a loss as what to do about this. (See my Thankful Thursday Posted 7/3/08)

Thanks to Our June Commentators

To show our appreciation for the comments we received on our posts for June, we thank the following commenters and encourage you to visit these blogs:

Jules at Arduous Nincompoop

Vikki at The Red Chair

Jazmin at More Than a Cat, Jazmin Personified

Mama Flo at Mama Flo's Place

Emma the Golden Girl at Canine Kids

Frigga at Through Frigga's Eyes

Samantha & Tigger at Life From a Cat's Perspective

Mature But Not Senile

Babs Beetle & Sukie at Simply Cats

Hategan at Tirgu Mures

Jennifer Robin at Robin's Woods

Mandy at Hipp Is My Middle Name

Tony at Seeking Things Above

My Funny Dad, Harry

The Speaker at Art Constellation

and Jessieh at Jessieh Speaks

Sameer at Unique Log

Joel at Big Boys Have Toys Too

Vamita at Spiritual Zone

Emila Yusof at Blue Ribbon Bloggers

Viveca: Save One Million Lives

Mark at You Are Not A Sheep