No, I didn't win the HGTV House or a new car, but I did win a trip in my Son's name to Las Vegas to see Post Malone on New Year's Eve with a flight and hotel room provided at the new (opening Dec. 16) Fountainbleau Hotel in Vegas.
The award value comes in about $3,400, which, of course, he will have to pay taxes on. This surpasses the monetary value of the Rakuten win, and that was really great.
For those of you, like me, who don't know who Post Malone is, he is a big thing in the young and the recording industry. Bunch of #1 and Grammys.
Since the Hotel is just opening, we are hoping he gets a room upgrade to a suite, but we're not greedy, and we'll take what we get.
Guess I'll be babysitting New Year's Eve this year.
Can you believe it? I am so stoked. I'll share pictures after the trip.
If anyone uses Instagram and you would like me to notify you of contests I enter there, just let me know my Insta address is @love.sweeps. You can see on the circle highlights which contests I have entered if you're just curious. Rakuten is one I won off Insta.
Yesterday, as the rain arrived, so did multiple packages from my Rakuten win.
Boy oh boy did it feel like Christmas around here.
I called my daughter to come over and see my prizes. She left with the Electric Kettle and teas.
My son came over at lunch and made off with the Roku speaker. Apparently the Grand Girls like to put on YouTube and dance to the music. Glad to share with them.
My son, the skeptic, is finally starting to pay attention when I tell him I have entered a contest for him. It is like the Lottery. You have a hard time believing somebody will win and my old boss, the attorney, used to laugh as we bought Lottery tickets for the group. However, once we started getting Lottery Winners as clients, he changed is mind too. We had 3 lottery winner clients. They made a believer of me.
Margaret asked about where I find these contests. I use one main site that I have to pay for although they offer a free version at Sweepsadvantage.com . The reason I use the pay version is so I can save my entries to know that I have entered a contest or if the contest is for daily entries, I can pull them up quickly. I also like a free site at Sweepstakesfanatics.com .
But the most important thing about sweepstaking is to have a dedicated email for your sweeps only because it will fill up fast. The other problem is, of course, your phone number. The majority of contests require a phone number but you can chose only those that do not. If you have a landline you never use, this works great. Just turn it off or unplug. If you're like me and have only a cell then you are in for a lot of ringing. My default ring tone is "Happy". If that plays I am happy not to answer it. All of my contacts, including professionals I use, have a different ring tone. So any other song but Happy is someone I want to answer.
I downloaded an app that makes ringtones from music. I can't remember the name of it but if anyone wants to know, just ask.
Fall is my favorite time of the year. I like chilly weather and soft cuddly clothes. Hot chocolate and Hot Apple Cider.
That about ends this post. Buddy says Hi from his snug little bed.
I couldn't wait to tell you. I just got notified that I won a contest by Rakuten that I entered on X (Twitter). This is my first win on X. I was leery about entering on X/Twitter but there you go, not guts, no glory. I'll just be really careful with their entries. I think this contest is a winner-takes-all but I'll wait to hear more from them.
Neat, huh?
This top picture just popped up in my memories. I had saved it two years ago to the day. The second photo below is my daughter's new adoptee she has had about 6 months+. If you believe in manifestation, you gotta know that is what I asked for and I never saw him before she adopted him.
Hahaha. That was the picture of Bowie, who has two different colored eyes, hence the name (David) Bowie, that I had to send my daughter while she was on vacation a couple of months ago when this happened and I guess Bowie got lonesome or bored.
I went to the endocrinologist and dermatologist both on Thursday. I had a rash all over my body again but the ones around my glucose pump and glucose monitor worried me the most. Endo said there were people allergic to certain insulins but she hoped it wasn't that. Dermatologist said her first guess would be that I was allergic to the tape on both types of equipment but she will do blood tests to see what she can narrow it down to. She said I will probably need this Xolair drug this is a shot form only for $3,000 a month. I applied for Patience Financial Assistance. We'll see.
I am excited to share that I won another contest. It is a SIRUI 3T-R remote control tripod. It's pretty fancy. If you are interested, you can see it here too.
I have been extra busy with my contesting lately. Receiving a win always makes me extra determined to win that big one - preferrably a new car but cash enough to buy a new car is good too. And let us not forget the HGTV new house. I always think big. Hahaha.
There is always an increase in contests for the Holidays - I'd like to win a new Christmas tree this year. There are also more sports activities like the Superbowl in Las Vegas - trying to win one of the many, many contests f. Alor my Sonso entering New York travel contests for my daughter who loves Broadway.
I have done well resisting the allure of the Halloween candy everywhere until I found Tootsie Rolls (the larger ones) at Kroger. Margaret, I hope you're reading this and know I'm thinking about you with each bite I take.
Margaret, I also found something about selecting whether you accept posts from cell phone during one of my deep dives on the internet. I think you use your phone to comment so maybe that is why there is trouble on my end. However, now I can't find it again. I'll keep trying.
Also had Shirley on the mind when I watched the new The Walking Dead: Darryl Dixon. I watched TWD for several years and then somehow slid out of the habit. I saw a contest to win a trip to France to see the places that were filmed in this new series. That piqued my curiosity and I decided I'd better watch the show so I'd know where I was going when I won the contest. Hahaha. Anyway, I like the storyline and loved all the French locations.
I read the new Jo Nesbo book, The Night House, which is a stand alone, not a Harry Hole book. Nesbo, in case you don't know, wrote the book, The Snowman, from which the movie was made. I thought the movie was pretty close to the book and Michael Fassbinder made a perfect Harry Hole.
Jo Nesbo is a Norwegian writer, among other things, and like many writers from Scandavanian countries, writes some pretty strange stuff. So, this is not a suggesion unless you know you like his stuff. Here is a link from Wikipedia about Nesbo. He is actually pretty interesting.
My Buddy is doing well. I've had a cluster of kids move into my section of the apartments and they love him, When we go outside to walk they run to be the first to pet him.
And you can see he has learned to turn his head when I point my phone at him.
I won another contest this week from Nest Bedding and EnviroKlenz which I entered through Instagram. From Nest Bedding, I won a set of Bamboo sheets in my choice of size and color and laundry detergent from EnviroKlenz brand. The sheets are supposed to be cool so I am excited to try them. I'll let you know more when the arrive.
I finally won another contest last week. It has been so long since I had a win but honestly, I cut back on my contesting this year what could I expect. The prize from Calypso Lemonade is a pool float and other swag items. The Grand Girls will put it to good use.
Not much to share. My son filled my car A/C and it is doing better. However, the clunking in my rear passenger side is now in line to be fixed. I took it to two repair shops yesterday and they were so full they couldn't fit me in for a couple of days. I thought that was strange. I'll try again next week.
The Grand Girls start school Aug 9. Their school district starts earlier and ends earlier than most. I remember school starting after Labor Day but we didn't have air conditioning in schools back then. Just those great big fans. Bless my heart, don't know how I made it.
Buddy and I are surviving the heat with the thermostat set as high as possible. You can see in this pic that he has forsaken his (never to be seen without) blanket because the room is so warm.
I confess to a guilty pleasure this week. My daughter stopped at Shipley's Donuts and brought me a chocolate-filled donut. I am still pumping insulin to get my numbers down. My bad but I can't even tell you the last time I ate something so decadent.
My flowers are doing well. The Mandala leaves are starting to burn but they are still throwing out vines so they were a good investment. If they make it through the winter I might concentrate on them next year. Sorry, I should have gotten closer to take the picture.
We have had a lot of wasps this year. I swear there is a memo out that tells them I have water available. Hahaha. They don't seem to want to harm me so I am glad to provide the water.
As Jean warned me, it takes a long time to get an appointment with a Specialist. The appointment I did get with the Neurologist was not until December 20??? I am on the waiting list but I texted my doctor this info in hopes she will lean on the new doctor to get me in sooner.
I've taken to reading the Weather Channel to have something instead of political maneuvering to read. It's actually kind of interesting. Who knew there were so many conditions (with a name) that affect the weather around us. Today I was reading what the Weather Talking Heads had to say about El Nino and how it might affect this heat wave. Of course, it is mostly Greek to me but if I keep reading it may start to make sense.
I purchased a house in Louisiana from a soldier at the base there who was an Air Force Weather and Environment Sciences Officer. I asked him one day if it was going to rain over the weekend as I would be driving to Houston. He couldn't answer me without doing calculations, he said. I thought no wonder the Weather Man on TV has trouble getting it right.
Today I read a list of which years had the highest and lowest official tropical storms and hurricanes. Turns out 2013 was the best at only 4. It was back in the 60s that we had another year with only 4.
Yes, I am pretty hurricane focused but having lived through several really big ones during my lifetime, I don't feel at all silly for being prepared or running like Hell if I think one is coming. Hahaha.
I've been trying to post for a couple of weeks now but have little to share except my own medical fiasco. I woke up one morning so dizzy I could not walk and fell on my way to the bathroom. I went to the ER. They could not diagnose the cause of the dizziness so referred me to a neurologist. Of course, I did not schedule an appointment because I remember my Mother having Vertigo with her Type 2. When I went to my endocrinologist she told me I had to go. Hahaha. Felt like a school girl who got caught by her teacher.
I haven't scheduled my appointment yet but I will. (It's just to hot in my old car to be out during the day.) Maybe they will tell me why my brain has been so scattered. If I'm lucky, and I'm sure I will be, she will tell me it's old age. I can live with that.
The heat continues and the one good thing from this is that I've reset my internal thermostat. I used to sleep with the AC on 65. If it was any hotter I woke many times during the night and my sugar ran higher.
I have gradually raised the inside temperature to 75 at night and 80 during the day. I tried 85 yesterday and felt quite uncomfortable so back up to 80 today. Of course, I sit with the fan blowing on me so that helps too. I'm talking $300 bills which just annoys the #$#^ out of me.
Here's how Buddy handles the heat - cooling his undercarriage on the tile floor.
Yep, it's hot down here in Texas. Is this the second or third week of the Heatwave, I can't remember anymore, however, it is supposed to be around for another week at least.
I'm sitting in the dark with my A/C set on 80 and a fan blowing directly on me. Buddy is down to only two walks a day and those are as fast as his bodily voids will allow.
My prediction is a super duper Hurricane will come out of the Gulf this Hurricane Season because the water is so hot. I heard they can boil crawfish right off the pier in Louisiana.
I just finished drinking the bottled water I had squirreled away last Hurricane Season. I could have called it the preparation for this year if I had just waited a month. LOL.
I know it's been forever since I posted. Here are a few pictures to catch you up.
First, Buddy Boy.
I was doing a massive cleaning the other day. I had put the dog beds outside to "air out" so Buddy had no bed or blankets to lay on. Smart guy that he is, he jumped on the towels I had gathered up to wash after the Grand Girls stayed, and made himself a little bed.
Speaking of Grand Girls, they've come over alone and together a couple of times. Then last week, after the pool opened, they spent four days. Since they are both under 16, I had to stay at the pool with them which was better than I hoped it might be. I brought the new Jo Nesbo novel and settled in under the sunshade.
My daughter did move into my complex and we're both enjoying it. I was tasked with feeding her new rescue, Bowie, while she was out of town and there was a little accident.
I sent her a text with a picture. She took it well. Anyone who has a big puppy knows they make big puppy mistakes.
I've been enjoying my two aquariums. I have one with guppies only (above) and the other with large Black Skirted Tetras. I'll get a picture of them for next time.
Also been doing a little planting and enjoying the sunshine my corner spot provides - until this heat wave. My electric bill doubled this month. Not happy about that.
Now, however, the plants are getting too much heat and I will have to rearrange the area under the stairs to get some more of them into partial shade.
Buddy says our lives have been pretty boring over here.
The Grand Girls came over for Spring Break. Ok, so that wasn't so calm. The great thing about this apartment complex is that it is about 5 minutes from my Son's work. He can come over at lunch whenever he wants to get away from the office. He can also chauffer the girls to my house and drop them off in the morning and pick them up after work or in a couple of days. Which is what we did and it worked perfectly.
She loves that Hot Glue Gun. We made 3 different trips to Dollar Tree for various supplies for the two of them. Super fun visit.
Other good news, the Daughter may move into my apartment complex. She came over and looked at a couple of places. I would be so happy if she moved here. I'm trying not to push her. Ok, maybe a little nudge to choose my place.
I've spent a lot of time recently buying plants and potting them. I've also got new bird feeders and a bird bath. I'll take pictures soon.
This is difficult to talk about so I'm going to jump right in.
For some time I have been concerned about my brain. I have been a lifelong reader but it is very hard for me to read now. It is not that I cannot comprehend what I am reading but it is hard for me to absorb it. My brain doesn't feel right about understanding and saving the information.
I did talk to my doctors over the years, and this has gotten slowly, slowly worse, but my doctor said essentially there are so many things that can go wrong with the brain besides dementia. Case in point is the lack of oxygen to the brain by diabetes.
I really can't remember what I read about diabetes and the brain but just guessing I might be a prime candidate.
My birthday is this week and I will be 73. Shit! Guess that is old enough for a lot of my brain and body to start falling apart. Ha.
I've been meaning to explain why I don't read or respond as much anymore. I can only say it makes my brain feel uncomfortable.
I have both my doctor appointments in early March. I will talk to them again, just to make sure they are watching out for me.
I'm not going to fret over it although I would share the old saying, "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my brain the most."
Worst case scenario, I've got my guide dog.
Hahaha. Not Buddy but it looks and sounds like him.
Hi again. Thanks Marie for giving me a nudge. It has been quite a while but not much has been happening to write about.
Buddy and I are doing well and still like the apartment. We've had some nice cool weather so the Grand Girls insisted we buy Buddy a new winter coat and some socks.
They are still painting and improving the apartment complex, making me nervous after my old apartments were sold out from under us.
My blood sugar is doing relatively well. Although the other day I forgot to charge my insulin pump so it shut down and quit releasing insulin. I \woke up with sky-high blood sugar. Lesson learned. Like an EV car, I can only run so far without plugging in.
Buddy and I did go to a nearby dog park recently. He was pretty good except his preference was to run up and down the fence line separating the little dogs and big dogs barking at all the big dogs and darned if they didn't come over to check him out.
I haven't been entering any contests so no wins to report. I did read a great book which I can recommend entitled Picture in the Sand by Peter Blauner. It is set in 1950s Egypt during the time Cecil B DeMille was there filming The Ten Commandments.
Hi Again. I just watched a Hallmark-type Christmas movie called The Noel Diary that was just so darn cute. I never watch this type of movie, I am a mystery or police procedural kind of girl. Don't really know how this even got turned on but enjoyed watching it. My only Christmasy movie so far. Saving both versions of the Bishop's Wife for a special night in.
Also watched two episodes of Harry and Megan. In most of the British programs I've watched, there seem to be many mixed-race couples, especially in the soaps. I didn't realize they had such a race issue over there. I guess it is because he is a Royal.
I feel sorry that there has been so much negative press attacking her. She seems like a nice person but who in the heck really knows. I remember her from Suits long before Harry came around. When you see the clips with the Paps stalking Diana it makes you wonder why they (the Royals) let that harassment go on. I think it is because the English seem to be big-time readers of what we call the rag sheets.
I don't like personal attacks. I don't like fake news.
It's not a problem I can solve but it is one I can be an influencer in my little way and accept all races, religions, and gender choices, and show acceptance of any person's right to choose.
I'm happy in this new apartment. Buddy and I are keeping busy with our Buddy walks. I found a big stick which I use to shepherd him when he wants to stop and bark. So while we are walking, I started twirling this stick (at least to the extent of my ability) then it dawned on me that the Artist Grand Girl who is turning 13 this month might like twirling.
I ordered her some batons for her birthday. Pack of four, so she would have extra to play with friends. She sent me a picture of her trying to twirl. Such a time of change. She is searching for what she wants to do and who she wants to be. She is so amazing. I just love her.
Now, of course, I have to buy a real baton to keep up with her if she does get really interested.
I haven't been reading or writing much lately. Hope you all forgive me. My brain does not seem to be working at full capacity these days.
A couple of weeks back Shirley posted a video of Pharrell Williams singing "Happy". I think everyone will admit this tune makes you want to tap your toe, if not get up and dance. It stuck in my head for a couple of days until I finally downloaded the song on my Ringtone Maker and now, you got it, I dance all the way to answer the phone.
Snow White without his seven dwarfs.
Things have been brilliant around here. I had my eyes examined and they were great for a person with Type 1 Diabetes. I did have an increase in my reading prescription, enough to warrant a new pair of glasses.
Surprisingly the price has not increased that much but still out of my pocket-change budget. I started looking at glasses online. Have you ever ordered online?
The exciting part is you can now upload a photo of yourself on each glasses web page to see how they would look on you. It seems you can get frames pretty inexpensively but the progressive lens is still up there in price.
I did find one pair that I really liked and looked good on my facial photo but darn it, I can't remember what website it was. Dadgum it.
Does anybody have first-hand experience with any of these sites?
Hope you had a Happy Halloween. I had no trick or treaters so I have a bowl full of Tootsie Rolls (thank you Margaret) that jumped out at me in the grocery store. And they were the good ones - the size of a thumb not a pencil. You forget how really good they are until you taste one again. Here. Have one. Try it.
Speaking of old favorites: When I was a youngish lass with long hair and girlish charm, I always used Herbal Essence in a tall green bottle. I loved the smell and as my hair flipped around my face I would get sniffs of the delicious scent. So, after diligently searching for the old product online, I emailed Herbal Essence and asked them if it was around anywhere. No, they wrote me back but you might like this and that, and here are some coupons. I appreciated their reply and the coupons but still wish for that shampoo. Do you remember it?
This weekend my Son switched our phone plan to combine your, mine, and ours telephone bills he was paying. We are now on ATT after being on a great PCS package. I won't go into what took 4 hours and 2 different ATT stores to get my service, except to say they required me to buy a new phone because my old Samsung was 3G and we were on a 5G plan now. Of course, I did not want to wait to order a new phone off the internet where I could get a better price because I want my service hooked up right away. So I bought the new phone, and I'm still in the phase where you have to reopen each app with the password you can't remember.
But that's not the story. While I was sitting at the first ATT store and they were doing what they do, I looked over at the big TV playing and there was a youngish girl standing in front of a display in a drug store with those large green bottles of Herbal Essence. This is close as I could find to the bottle I'm talking about.
I found this picture on Ebay. The bottle sells for $40
and if you can enlarge the writing is from Greece.
I yelped when I saw the bottles and everyone looked at me so I had to explain about the shampoo to the ATT girl who was just a glimmer in her grandmother's eye when the movie was made (original Halloween, I think) and ATT girl didn't know nor did she care about Herbal Essence's original scent.
Early voting started yesterday, I think, and I made it to the polls around lunchtime. Since I'm in a new part of town I had a new voting place. It was a newly remodeled Hotel very near the house and I really appreciate the convenience. The hotel was glittery, glam, and shining everywhere. It had a stream for floating around the pool and then a smallish pool inside that. It would be fun to take the Grand Girls and spend one night next summer.
As for voting, OMG. Harris County, Texas had 104 separate contests to vote for. It took two legal pages to print out your results and then you took it to another scanner to enter the results. My fingers don't have enough electric charge in them so I often have to push selections more than once. Luckily I didn't have to push all 104 selections twice.
We have a hot race here between the current governor Greg Abbott (I'm sure you've heard of some of his hard-nosed tactics) and Beto O'Rourke (the more liberal contender). I don't think Beto has a chance except if enough people find Abbott too right-wing. So just like I voted against Trump and not for Hillary, I voted against Abbott and not for Beto. That is American politics these days for me.
I also went by the YMCA to find out what senior classes they had and what membership entails. That dadgum Shirley makes me feel guilty every time I see her exercise pictures. I know that is what I should be doing but that devil on my shoulders has not gotten with the program.
They are doing major gussy-up chores around the Apartment Complex. New shingles, pressure washing bricks, sanding any peeling on staircases. Things that really should be done to keep the apartment looking good but honestly I did not see a problem until they started the water blasting and then Whoa. It looks so much better.
Since they sold the Senior Apartments out from under us, I am nervous when I see being done. Rent is so expensive here, as I am sure it is everywhere and I really don't want to have to move again because of the price of rent. The lady above me has lived here 15 years. I guess that is a pretty good reference. I intend to stay here for quite a while, "If the Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise."
I lost Buddy's sweaters about 2 moves ago so I had to think of something when the cold front blew in. I purchased a large sweatshirt from the resale store, cut off the arm, snipped here and there ..... and Buddy has a new sweater.
I love this picture of Buddy. The youngest Grand Girl kept trying to put doll clothes on him, much to his chagrin.
Things are great here at the new apartment. For all practical purposes, everything is in place. Still waiting on a couple of wicker baskets I ordered online. Hope they are the right size.
Speaking of online ordering, I ordered new heavier drapes for the living room from Target because the sun is so bright in the mornings. I miss the crisp look of the sheers but I think they will make sense to keep the temperature of the living room balanced. Anyway, the story is that I ordered two packages of the same curtains from Target. The box arrived with two different curtains, one the right curtains and the other not even close. I took the wrong set back to the store but apparently not only were they the wrong curtain but they had been charged to another account. The young girl took a little bit to figure out how to credit everything since we did not have the other account number but she thought she got it all straightened out. I'll have to look the credit card statement over carefully when it comes (online).
Further speaking of which, I read that they are going to curtail return policies at some stores. I am the Queen of returns. If it doesn't fit, the color, size or texture is wrong, back it goes. With clothing stores, it is their fault for having crappy little dressing rooms. For kitchen and household items, I am guilty of buying the same thing I already have. Since I barely cook and then it is only for one, two of most items is a waste on me. My sisters never return and when we were younger and all living near we would trade clothes from time to time. My youngest sister often shared clothes that still had the tag on it because she refused to do returns.
The good news on that sister is her cancer is in remission and she is scheduled to have three surgeries to replace the veins/nerves on the side of her face. She really suffers from her face sagging and she says that her hair is coming back totally different but she won't share a picture of it yet.
My other sister took me to a resale shop in her part of town this week. I think it is run by a church because it had a lot of stuff that appealed to me - grandmother pieces. I got this burnt umber vase that I LOVE and it was a steal. Makes me so happy. Now if I could just afford fresh flowers. Hahaha.
I've started entering Contests again. I had been on such a dry streak and the prizes were kind of pitiful for a while so I just took a vacation from entering. The prizes are starting to pick up and by next month there should be a lot ending on December 31. We'll see.
It's Chilly in Texas. I even put on a sweater to walk Buddy. Of course, I still had shorts on. Haven't pulled winter out and probably won't until after January. My retired lifestyle rarely requires long sleeves or long pants. Yes, I have become that person. Stripes and plaids are next.
Buddy has never been a great lover of car rides. Maybe because he is so small and cannot see out the window. During the last few days of the move, he was getting anxious whenever I left so I started taking him when possible. I think it made the new place seem more familiar after we made half a dozen trips back and forth to carry plants and lamps and he seems to have adjusted to car rides and the new apartment.
I'm in the new apartment and have mostly unpacked and put things in place. It's fun/a a drag to find new favorite places - grocery, gas, hair, etc. Speaking of which, I did get a fresh cut at Great Clips.
Even though I found a lady by the old apartment I liked, her schedule had become sporadic so it was hard to plan a drive back there. You know the problems of finding a new person. On the day I tried this new lady at Great Clips my hair had freaked out and was sticking out all over. I have never seen it like this. An argumentive teenager. Consequently, I got the haircut from Hell but it's ok. It will grow out.
Buddy likes the new apartment too. Lots of Hispanics and many (but not all) love a good chihuahua.
I had to put together a 5-shelf metal shelf last night. It was a struggle but I got it done. Now I just have the (sigh) bedroom's small walk-in closet to finish.
This apartment is like a dollhouse. The layout is great but every room/closet is proportionately smaller than in a normal apartment. I got rid of a lot before I moved and so much more after I got here. I kept putting furniture outside with a free sign on it and one by one they were taken. Only one printer table and one picture were left. I was pretty pleased to recycle the things I did not want without having to pack them to Good Will.
.jpg)
