Money Money Money

Yesterday our stimulus check finally arrived. Since it arrived after the banks closed, we can't put it in until Monday, but that's okay. Dr. Skull's unemployment money means we're not hard up at the moment anyway.

Still, I'm relieved to have it.

The kid, as it turns out, will not get stimulus money. He's still on our tax returns as a dependent, so he can't get his own check; and he's too old to qualify for the $500/credit. So that kind of sucks.

Meanwhile, everyone here is still well. The kid has a friend whose father, a man in his 40s, got the virus, and is now in the hospital with blood clots. And one of my colleagues at the university (no one I know) has it. That's as close as it has come to us so far.

The weather continues to be amazing. Highs around 70 every day, lows in the 50s, sunny and breezy. We keep the French doors and windows open all day long. And on our walks down by the river we're seeing all sorts of birds, including a black bird with white on its wings and back. IDK what bird this is -- I'd think it was this guy, but the range is wrong. In any case, it flies in flocks, and is very lovely in flight.

Also, I think I've identified the purple flower that is blooming all over the walking park at the moment, thanks to this site. I think it's cow vetch, which is an invasive species. But very pretty!



How's things where all y'all are?

$$$ in the Pandemic

Here in the delagar household we are (so far) doing all right so far as income goes.

I am still getting paid, and Dr. Skull, who filed for unemployment, heard back from the Labor Board yesterday, saying he would get 40% of his salary. Not much, but enough to squeak through.

According to what I have read, that 40% will be supplemented by extra income for the next few months. That would help a lot.

Of course, we still have all the medical debt from my long illness (I am fine now!), but I will just pay the minimum on that until we see how the world goes.

How are all y'all doing?

Dag Nabit

So just over two months ago, I finally paid off all my credit card debt.

Which -- you know -- that had taken me, even with filing bankruptcy, something on the order of twenty-five years.  But it was gone at last, y'all.

Now, this month, a crown (my share, just over five hundred dollars), and this "procedure," as we're calling it, for my ulcer (my share, just over eight hundred dollars) and the car blew a tire, thanks to the charming Fuck Smith roads (that's barely a hit, in the scheme of things, but still, close to a hundred bucks, since we got the oil changed as well).

Much of this I hope to shit I will eventually get back from the fucking HSA account, once the fucking insurance company stops being asshats.

Meanwhile, yeah, I now have credit card debt again.

Fuckit.

Money Money Money

If you're like the delagar household, you've noticed that things which used to cost, at your local Harps, two bucks or a two-fifty, like a box of Triscuits or a dozen eggs or a gallon of milk, now -- yikes, when did this happen? -- cost three-fifty, three-ninety-five. And let's not get into meat! We bought chickens for Passover last night. Remember when chicken was cheap? Nearly eight dollars each for the chickens we paid.

So what's up with the food prices? I've been blaming Bush, because, you know, I hate him.

Also he started that stupid war which has helped to make gas prices, what are they in your area now? Here they're 3.40 a gallon, and diesel even higher, and I reckoned that had to be doing something to the cost of food.

But maybe it's more complex.

See this post at Crooked Timber.