anyways…

A man walks into a bank…

June 28, 2008 at 10:43 pm | In Extra! Extra!, Glad Tidings | No Comments

A man walks into a bank after about 24 hours of attempting to get a loan to buy an automobile. Actually, it’s a credit union - a federal credit union. Are there any credit unions, not federal credit unions? Are there any banks or credit unions NOT FDIC insured? I have never seen an ad for a bank or credit union that goes without the FDIC logo - or better yet, “we aren’t FDIC insured.” Hmmm…anyways, this federal credit union was no ordinary lender - it was the lender to offer a loan to the man at the going interest rate (respectable), and additionally, within 24 hours of applying. The man has some issues with credit - like just starting a job after a few years of school, a fair credit history, but with items that lenders might take issue with. However, the man just raced from the seller’s car lot an hour away to secure the credit, and there’s 10 minutes to closing time. All paperwork was done previous to the meeting, so it went smooth and quick. The man walks out of the credit union with a check in hand for the seller - to buy an AWESOME MINIVAN!
You guessed it, I just bought a new minivan. My old Grand Caravan was having transmission problems. It had 160K+ miles and the tranny was gonna blow. Scotty told me urgently, “She cant hold out much longer captain!” I listened and although I would have rather bought a new vehicle for myself (work, small, economic and safe for winter), the family vehicle had to take priority. The new toy is a Honda Odyssey. I’ve never had a Honda. Kim and I reminisced, though. The first time Kim realized she was in love with me was when we were test-driving a honda civic together. We were “dating” or was it just friends? I already knew I loved her (from day one), but she realized she loved me in a Honda Accord. Too bad the used car dealer was in the passenger seat and Kim was in the back while I was driving. He was just in the way. I didn’t buy the car. What a gushy story, but it’s true. So today we brought it up. We felt romantic while the kids screamed and fought in the back seat of our new HONDA van. Man, what the back seat can do.
anyways…Now on to other matters…I will start my new job on Monday! YEAH! I am looking forward to it. I will actually be a nurse. This is a new job, a new career. MAN. This is so cool!
I saw Mona today. We all went with the new van so we could pick up some stuff she was giving away. We have had a new van AND a new wardrobe - all in one day with less than $25 in our pockets. Thanks Mona and HAPPY federal credit union.

Amber, R.N.

June 27, 2008 at 9:40 am | In Extra! Extra!, Family, Glad Tidings | No Comments

$Amber\'s son - they were there at graduation. Unfortunately, I don\'t have a picture of Amber.$ My cousin’s wife just e-mailed me today. She announced that she passed the NCLEX-RN and she is now a registered nurse! CONGRATULATIONS Amber! That makes two in the family. If you were there at my graduation party, she was the pregnant one. Becoming a registered professional nurse is such a great moment. It accentuates the pinnacle of your educational achievements, which were very hard, emotional and expensive. All the family put their best effort into the whole thing. Again, Amber - GREAT JOB!

18 Car Pileup

June 26, 2008 at 10:52 pm | In Extra! Extra!, Fuss | No Comments

I remember what it was like when I was a kid. I heard on the news that there was an 18 car pileup on the highway. I have to admit…that’s one of my fears. Well, there’s one of sorts in my life. OK, here’s the problem…behind on everything bills because school is done, car will take a lot of moolah to get registered and inspected, van transmission is making can shaking noises when in drive. Every bill, aspect (including the lawn not being cut yet this year), repair and just everything is on hold until I get money from working…and I get paid twice in July. It’s a long wait. I don’t know what we’ll do about the cars…the van is about to die soon and transmissions cost lots of money and time to fix or replace. That means probably getting a new one soon. We were looking at different cars today because we want to buy one when I start work so I can actually drive a car to work. Now it looks a bit different. So our life has a little 18 car pileup…I sure hope there are no casualties (figurative…not literal). Well, at least the muffler got fixed just in time for the transmission to break.

Lest I Forget

June 26, 2008 at 12:26 am | In Natter | No Comments

Photo Essay

June 26, 2008 at 12:17 am | In Family | No Comments

Here’s a little eye-candy…

: Lauren fixes her hair - looks like an oh no moment.

: Lundi and Lauren get smooshed.

: Caleb gets on a rock and poses

: Liam at the playground

: Liam and Papa at the beach

: Lauren, Lundi and Harrison battle the sun

: We were at the river with caleb

: Harrison's on Nana's tractor at the Graduation Party.

Frugality

June 25, 2008 at 9:59 pm | In Enjoin, Glad Tidings | 1 Comment

In looking at our new budget, I’ve found a problem…now that I am actually making money of my own, I have to make ends meet. And somewhere along the way…they may not be able to. So now, I am exploring ways to save money in everything we do. This will be hard as much of this effort will find me stranded on an island. I think my family will often look at me in disgust or with a roll in their eye. So I will have to do this work myself (pregnant wife = person not able to take on new and magnificent things, to the power of 5 kids) and if this is the cause of my anxiety, it is because I will probably lose speed fast. How’s that for pessimism? Besides having a new job that I am anxious for (new job and new career - nursing), I will be trying this while my spouse will have a hard time just waking up each day. Bad timing, but money doesn’t wait for timing. I must find a way to maximize my income AND expenses. A daunting challenge for sure. PS - I don’t want to paint my wife and family in a negative light - just telling it like it is. We are who we are.
In trawling the internet, I found this Maine-based blog. It’s called The Frugal Family Kitchen - and it’s wonderful. I am looking forward to exploring it’s down-to-earth no-nonsense money matters. Enjoy it at http://thefrugalfamilykitchen.blogspot.com - I have put the link permanently in my Blogroll.
ADDITIONALLY: Feel free to post your frugal tips, ideas or cool savings ideas as comments to this post.

I Have A Job!

June 25, 2008 at 6:32 pm | In Credo, Extra! Extra! | No Comments

I have a job at Happy Hospital.

What a change from yesterday. My wife really helps me sometimes. I sometimes lose faith. But last night, also, I read Luke 22: 32, where it says, “ But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” I felt that someone was praying for me not to lose my faith. I don’t lose faith in Jesus Christ, but I was coming close to wondering why I have faith if my years of work has finally come to a glorious end, but my righteous prayers of being employed were not being answered - instead, hedged up. With the hospital worried about my back and me not knowing if they’ll even have me…it was really hard to wait until today to get an answer. My Manager finally called and said, what’s the problem? Do you think you’ll be able to handle it? I said, yes (of course). So come on in and start on THAT day there. OK, I says. No problem.

We have no money. Literally. I get some on Monday that will vanish as quick as it will come. My first paycheck comes in a few weeks. That will be hard. We are short by a LOT of money. I’m not sure what we’re going to do.

In any case, I start soon and I can’t wait. I didn’t think I could start in a specialty, but here I am beginning in the emergency department. A NURSE! YEAH!

Back to Back

June 19, 2008 at 8:36 am | In Nursing | No Comments

NEWS from my home front. I just got a phone call from HAPPY Hospital. They have been batting around my health issues for the last week. As you may remember, my back isn’t in the best condition. In the pre-employment health screening, they found this information. They requested more information from my physician. Then, my physician’s office gave them what they had. HAPPY Hospital said that wasn’t enough. My Dr. said we have no more. HAPPY Hospital said there has to be more. My doc said, oh ya, there it is…that makes sense…but I have to dictate it first. Hold on. Then they finally did it and sent it to HAPPY Hospital. HAPPY Hospital can’t clear me for employment until this is over. So I get a call this morning. They said I have a 40 pound restriction, however, my manager is out of the country until the 25th, when he will make a decision if this is OK or not. In the meantime, the New Grad Nurses orientation at HAPPY Hospital is starting Monday and the next one is at the end of July. This means that I will not start (if approved) at HAPPY Hospital until the end of July. This is bad. I need work now, not in a month. So, I may have to take another job somewhere else (if I can find one before then). Ugh. To quote a friend recently: “I must say though, to cope with the rollercoaster ride of the nursing career process you have to be made of strong stuff to take the hits and still have one iota of self-confidence.”

Graduation Party

June 14, 2008 at 10:57 pm | In Extra! Extra!, Family, Nursing School | No Comments

Today was my graduation party. My mother put it on at her house. I am honored that it was all for me. We all had fun. It wasn’t a surprise - mom had it planned for a while. It celebrates the ending of my initial nursing education. Here’s a list of guests:

Mom & Carl
Mataunt Dot & Uncle Phil
Nicole Marchand
Aunt Linda with her assistant
Mataunte Pat, Josh Pelletier
Jessica, Jeremy, Alexis
Mataunte Jackie & Uncle Morris
Uncle Bill
Sandra & Her Partner
Amber & Kyle Pelletier
Dave
Laurette
Diane Toussaint & Jason Swiesz with Jason’s kids, Jenifer, Alexis and Joseph
Steve & Shannon Bryant
My whole family
That makes like 36 people.

Thank you all for coming. Some brought gifts and cards. Thank you all for such an awesome and memorable day! I love you all! When we came home (late because we brought Laurette home, stopped to get Tylenol for Kim, then again for food, then again for gas), and while I was bathing all the kids, Kim asked, “Do you feel loved? There were a lot of people there today. You’re family is good…I don’t care what you say.” I agree. I did feel loved. Thank you.

It was such a good reason to get together. I got to see everyone. yeah!

On the way home - our muffler fell off. It’s just hanging there under the van. Ugh.

Kids - Cleaning Church building, Biking

June 13, 2008 at 8:43 pm | In Family, Natter | No Comments

Harrison learned to ride a two wheeler bike this summer. We bought him a bicycle and he didn’t quite know how to ride it. Practice brought him closer to learning how to control it. Now he knows. He can ride all on his own. He can mount the bike without assistance and he’s proud. He’s been asking me to ride with him and I’ve been delaying it repeatedly because school and NCLEX. I promised tuesday. My bike had to be fixed because Caleb broke it a while ago. We drove to bring it to Northern Lights and dropped it off. Then we went to Subway to have lunch together - Just Harrison and I. It was so much fun. They called and told me my bike was ready. By that time, however, the thunderstorms were rolling in. We decided to go to whistlestop anyways. After we got underway, the storm got worse. By the time we made it to Titcomb Mountain, the lightning struck Voter Hill. It was uncomfortably close, so we high-tailed it to the van and barely made it, leaving the bikes outside because the lightning was striking so close it seemed the thunder came before the flash. While puddle sized golf-ball shaped rain came splashing everywhere, we roasted in the van until I got up enough crazy gusto to brave the great outdoors and recover the bikes. We were out there for 1/2 hour then we left. Harrison thoroughly enjoyed himself and he called it an adventure.

I had a CT scan for my GU issues on Wednesday. It was uneventful, but I had the distinct pleasure of having 2 IV’s. We looked at a house to rent at New Sharon. It was on a river. I could fish every day, but we decided against it.

The others wanted to go biking the next day on Thursday. We took Abby. It was such a beautiful sight. Dog running and quite agreeable, kids laughing and tee-heeing. The long ride…it was very fun. Caleb, Lundi, Harrison and I spent an hour on Whistlestop. Very cool. That happened after we had a new couple and their kids over for lunch. He’s now working as border patrol. What a cool job! Last night, Kim went to Institute and came back…then we just spent the rest of the night together. Today, I went to Maine General Hospital to get my pre-employment physical, where they are worrying me because my back may be an issue. We’ll see next week.

After, I came back, made lunch and took Harrison and Lundi to the church. We cleaned the meetinghouse because it was our turn. We had to do it today because Saturday we’ll be at my mother’s house for my graduation party. Lundi and Harrison were both VERY helpful. They worked very hard. I took them for ice cream and then another bike-ride.

Now, there’s a week. It seems more like it. Life seems to be normalizing.

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