Picture Time -- France

Computer Issues

Well, the new computer battery arrived and is now gone again. My computer didn't take to it and the diagnostics says one or more cells didn't work in the new one. So it has been sent back (at my cost) and I'm waiting for a new one...

All of a sudden my computer likes my old battery again. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't my computer that is the problem. If you remember, I didn't have a great start with this laptop with its loud fan noise and dealing with HP hadn't been wonderful. The warranty is now expired but I don't know if it will be economical to try and fix.

I remember deciding then should it konk out on me, I'm going to Apple for my next laptop despite D's eye rolling and threat of no IT support. This current experience reminded me of that thought and I've started my research, just in case.

When the time comes, my 4th laptop shall be a MacBook Air, probably the 13" size. That way I won't have to buy a new carrying case. When we are out and about this weekend I want to go and look at one and ask some questions.

Curiosity

It is back on the non dairy, non egg business for D and I. We did "cheat" while away.

I resisted for about 3 days and I started nibbling on corners of the pain au chocolat which led to entire ones as well as croissants eaten. I also had a couple of cafe cremes and tiramisu. D went all out and enjoyed every bite.

He was given this supplement to counteract the effects of eating dairy after being off of it for a while. It is really ironic that having eaten it all his life with no pain, after being off of it for 6 weeks has meant stomach cramps now.

I didn't get any pain myself but after a particularly heavy dairy day, I decided to take one of his pills just in case. Well, that was a mistake because I broke out in hives all over my back.

It took 2 days of anti histamines to get rid of it. D had no issues so I don't know what happened with me. Needless to say I will not be partaking in those pills again.

Curiosity almost took out the cat.

Scary Stuff

We came home to some bad and badder news. The easy one is my computer is telling me I need a new battery. It was barely over 2 yrs old! A new one has been ordered.

The badder piece of news is friends of ours' daughter had gotten into a serious car accident on her way to school (university). Her barely 1 yr old Ford Focus was totalled and was basically crushed underneath a dump truck.

The incredible thing is that she walked away with a couple of knee sprains, a broken wrist (non dominant), sore elbows and a bruise across her nose from the main air bag. And a huge fear of driving right now. But not one sign of whiplash or concussion!

Otherwise she didn't see anything once all the airbags deployed. We all agreed from the pictures of the accident she did incredibly well and the car literally saved her life.

A person at the scene happened to be a trauma nurse and he assumed she was decapitated from the wreckage as all the crumple zones did their job and the car looked an accordion.

They had to tear the car apart to get her out and she was found just sitting there stunned, ducking down, covered in dust with no idea what the results of the noise and impact were. She is one lucky girl. We are so thankful she is recovering well.

They do have the type of insurance coverage that will replace the car and she has already gotten the cheque and paid for another Ford Focus, a 2012 with even more safety features.

Return from France

We didn't deliberately plan our return to the south of France during the G20. Add to it the torrential rains in the region requiring evacuation of small coastal towns in France and Italy, it made for an interesting challenge.

Paris wasn't spared of rain either despite it being much further north. This trip marked my 10th to France and 1st time I left without an intense longing to return to Paris. Both the city and I have changed.

I find myself much preferring the slower pace of life in Nice and environs. We cruised the Seine a few times, visited favourite restaurants and haunts and was glad when the time came for our connection south.

Due to the request of our original apartment owner to find an alternate logging so he could secure a long term rental, we opted to give Nice Pebbles another try. We used them about 5 yrs ago when they were brand new and didn't have the best experience.

I'm happy to report they have come a long way and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking to visit the french riveria. They aren't the cheapest game in town but with them, you don't have to worry about a thing.

It is back to work today and I have a hopping schedule. Jumping right back into the fire.

Picture Time -- Rhodes

Great Turn Bad Turn

I got a second opinion on my winter tires from the tire guy at the dealership and he gave me better news. The front set is 50% worn and the rear set is pretty good.

There isn't need to buy new tires for this season after all. I was concerned the difference would not be good for the car but he didn't seem to think so.

Should I repeatedly see my traction control light come on to assist, then I can consider replacing the 2. Great news! I had already mentally prepared myself for the expenditure.

The winter tires don't do curves (or maybe hugged too well) as well I noticed yesterday. Tried to do a sharp turn at 80 km/hr (possible with my summer tires) and ended up locking my brakes and maybe skidding? slightly.

Didn't come close to losing control or anything but I probably shouldn't have tried that on dry pavement...silly girl...note to self...I told D upon arriving home and he told me he wouldn't have tried that to begin with and shakes his head.

I have a few more office loose ends to tie up before the packing starts. Cheers Everyone, back in a week or so!

Time To Go

I'm glad we are leaving soon. D so needs a vacation. He has had a lot on his plate and is having trouble keeping everything straight.

He left a new bag of frozen shrimp at the cottage this weekend...Our fridge has been shut down...Luckily the temperatures will be cool enough to keep it partly frozen until we get back up there in a month...

Yesterday he locked us out of the house. It also happened about 4 yrs ago. So, I walked to the bank to deposit some money while he used a neighbour's phone to call the locksmith. One hr later and $110, we are back in our house.

D's company year end is at the end of Oct so he has been very busy finishing up reports and stuff in anticipation of that and being away. His part time contract gig was coming to completion too.

He also had a job interview yesterday (internal posting). It looks like a lateral move financially but will be in a different department which is where the action is. So more room for advancement in the future.

His office policy says they are supposed to stay in one posting for 2 yrs before moving to another position. D is at the 1 yr 8 month mark and they would like him to start in a month. He is going to talk to his boss today.

Picture Time -- Acropolis & Ephesus

Living Life

We had a great long weekend up north. Both of us want to spend more time there during the fall. My travelling didn't make that possible this year but we are going to make it a priority next year.

Was tempted by a KLM seat sale but didn't act on it. For those who are interested, the sale ends today. As part of my research, I found a nice apartment in Budapest for when I'm ready to go. There are lots to chose from on Homeaway.

I for see 2012 as more of a reflective year. I'm already feeling that way. Lots to digest after the changes of this year.

It has been a challenge eating out with our dietary restrictions. We have been told that once off the offending foods for a few weeks, interaction with them will create symptoms. D has been at it for 6 weeks now and he gets stomach cramps immediately after eating dairy.

I haven't been off of things long enough to feel it much. But apparently, once our 6 months are up, we will be able to re-introduce the foods in a moderate way without total relapse. One thing I have noticed is my energy has gotten better. Too soon to tell if it is just coincidence.

Happy Halloween!

Shiny New Office

I know of a colleague who has just opened their new office -- At a cost of $80K. It's a really sleek office. Designer furniture, coffee maker etc.

In reality he does the same job I do but in a larger city center which can demand more payment, about $20 more than I charge.

I find myself thinking to myself, is that difference worth the large start up costs? When does the break even point happen? What about the stress of carrying such an amount fresh out of school with plenty of school debt?

I don't know all the numbers so cannot figure out the bottom line. It just makes me nervous. And I forgot there would be a fairly pricey commercial lease on top of that.

As unglamourous as my office is compared to his, I know I can pay my overhead with less than a day's work. However I get no bragging rights for playing small. People don't admire that.

They may just assume I cannot afford to do it any bigger and feel sorry for me since I've been at it for a much longer time. When in reality, I live a pretty full life. For me, that's what really matters.

Good News Bad News

Bad news about the new to me snow tires. They have less life than I was told/expected. They do pass safety and I've been told I could try and see how they perform and decide from there.

I've sent an email to the seller with the findings and hope he will do the right thing and send me some money back.

We are heading up north for a few days to A -- Do our close the cottage part. The plumbers may have already done their part. B -- Soak in some great fall air and atmosphere. And C -- Have dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

The much tracked Bank of Canada rate stayed put. Now that I'm not involved in the heavy pre-payment scene anymore, I actually missed the 9 am press release. Normally I have that page up and waiting anxiously.

Picture Time -- Istanbul

Inspired Living

D getting his new bike has inspired me to bike more myself. I feed off the excitement of others. It's fun. That's why I like reading blogs and meeting interesting people so much.

His first ride was very successful. He couldn't believe how fast he got and and much easier it was to go uphill while still having a few gears left to go either way. It felt like driving a sports car.

We are looking forward to increased home time in 2012 to cultivate our local interests more. I also want to get to the next level in health and fitness.

I was the unfortunate messenger of bad news recently. The ceiling of my office storage room sprung a leak. The building has a flat roof. I don't know what's involved in fixing it. Hopefully it won't be a hugely expensive ordeal. Nice to be a renter!

I've pretty much given up hope with finding reasonable air fares out west this Christmas. However, we have secured flights in Feb for a couple a weeks.

It will coincide with D's annual guys ski trip so that will save him an extra ticket purchase. Which doesn't hurt his feelings as he has drained his dream account on his new toy.

Great Guy!

Meeting the fellow who sold me his tires and rims was a highlight of our weekend. He was younger than I had expected, D thinks between our ages. And so enthusiastic! His energy was contagious.

It was really obvious he was wealthy, happy and non apologetic about his success. A great positive energy to be around. Most people we see who want to be wealthy appear to be trying too had to make others notice them. It didn't hurt that he was naturally really good looking, fit and stylish.

This guy is one of the few people we've met who is joyfully living and enjoying his life and has the means to realize some pretty cool dreams.

When his third child was born, he had to get rid of his vehicle for a larger one, thus the reason he had tires and wheels to sell. We talked about how hard he was hit with depreciation as he bought his vehicle new in 2008. Oh well, he now drives a large Mercedes SUV that seats 7.

He told us about bringing his previous car to the track and how much fun that was. He drove the model up from what I drive which has 100 hp more but recounted with disbelief how there was someone in the group who was driving my model and was constantly on his bumper and passing him.

He remembers exclaiming out loud, "Where is that 100 extra horsepower?!" He figured the other guy had a heavier foot. I suggested maybe he was driving with the sport button pressed.

Told me to take care of the rims as they will still be worth a lot of money when I'm done with my car. That he hoped I'd be driving my car to pick up the tires because he missed his a lot and all the modifications he did on it.

He couldn't believe I had driven a Honda for 14 yrs and made the leap from that or I that had bought my current car used. No more than I could imagine buying his last car new. We were gaping at each other different reasons.

He also apologized many times for being 15 min late. He had emailed me but didn't have my number and worried I left. I like that in a person because it tells me they put a high value on their time and hates when they are wasting someone else's time.

I want to exude his energy and enthusiasm.

What a Saturday

What a marathon day yesterday. We ended up staying at a hotel the night before meeting my guy with the tires to save the long morning drive. The driving time was saved but the experience at the hotel I think shortened D's life.

There was a family who took up 3 rooms across the way and they were going back and forth amongst the rooms while letting the doors slam. After 11 pm, their neighbour told them to quiet down while D went down to the front desk to see if we could switch rooms.

Unfortunately the hotel was full. They did quiet down but were at it again at around 3 am, then checked out aft 5 am. We did our best to understand that with multi-family outings, it can be loud.

However, travelling with the family requires some learning that when co-habiting with others, new habits need to be cultivated in public spaces. This applies to supermarkets too.

The purchase of my snow tires and rims went through. The front tires were more worn than the rears which is understandable but were more worn than I had expected. I was worned about that due to the weight of the vehicle. What I am planning to do is use them in the back this season.

D got his bike fitting and pick up done earlier than scheduled. We had planned to go for lunch before his appointment but they were ready for him so we pushed through instead. There was an impressive level of biomechanical checks in the fitting. I found it fascinating. We definitely felt we got more than our money's worth.

My travel cancellation refund arrived Friday! It has been safely deposited. One less thing to wonder about. I was worrying about what I would do if it got lost and how long I would have to wait before they would re-issue another cheque.

It has been an early and busy morning. D got confirmation of our refund and bonus from our apartment rental owner and has booked our new spot. He was very grateful we were able help out.

We toyed with the idea of cancelling the trip in light of both of our recent expenses and food allergy findings. I am usually the queen of that, first for D. He feels it is my influence. I wasn't against it as I have done my share of travelling this year. But D really is looking forward to it so full steam ahead.

Changes

It's perhaps a sign of the times. We got an email last night from the owner of the apartment rental in France asking us if we would consider finding a different spot because she has an opportunity to take on a long term rental contract.

As she may be losing her job and is expecting a baby, the extra security of the long term rental is needed at this time. She also offered us monetary compensation if we would be able to accommodate.

So D and I got out our laptops and started searching. We've had a good relationship with her over the years and if we could find another place in short notice, we would help out.

We haven't been able to find another waterfront spot at anywhere close to the price we are paying but there are 3 we like which will cost what we paid plus the compensation we would be getting as it is coming in close to double.

I've made inquiries into one of them while the others can be booked instantly online so I'll give it til the end of this weekend to decide as we are heading out of town anyways.

I hope this isn't going to mean the sale of the apartment sometime in the future. I am projecting my own feelings onto this scenario when I say it would be sad if it came to that. But I don't know if it was bought originally as just an investment or not.

Picture Time -- Sicily: Taormina & Messina

Food & Life

Am still waiting for my travel refund cheque. They tell me it is "in the mail"... I'm doing my best not to think of it. On the other hand, the roof over charge payment came back so that's great.

I'm anxious to get the travel cheque because I managed to have spent it all and some (knowing it was coming) in Turkey buying a tiny silk on silk carpet (2 ft x 2 ft) and a sheet of original Arabic writing (blessing from the Koran). I'll see if I can get some good pictures of them and post them up. I've paid for them already but it would be nice to replenish my dream account.

The appointment has been confirmed also for the purchase of my rims. As it is a private sale, I will be paying in cash. Total price $2150. D has made an appointment for me to get them on my car in Nov. He has also confirmed with the plumbers to close our cottage as well. Nice to have things falling into place.

The big news is my food allergy test results are back and they are even less pretty than D's. I too am reactive to dairy and eggs as well as peanuts, almonds, pineapple, kidney beans and clams. Like D, I have no symptoms when I eat those foods but my body is fighting them on the inside.

Considering my favourite dish in Italy is "Spaghetti alle vongole veraci" (spaghetti and clams) and I just ate some in Taormina as well as pineapple daily and eggs at breakfast...I'm not a milk drinker or cereal eater but will take cream in coffee/tea and eat it in the form of whipped cream and such in desserts.

And the kicker is we are leaving for France soon and it is the land of dairy! D has already decided he doesn't care and will eat anything he wants as he figured if he never got tested, he would have gone his whole life not knowing.

I'm still in aftershock but right now I think I'm going to try and work around it. Breakfast will be the most difficult because I love my croissants and pain au chocolat...

Wheels and Deals

I've been sourcing out rims and winter tires for my car. D worked on it while I was away. The best price for aftermarket rims and good tires are in the $3200 range new.

I found a couple of online ads yesterday for used OEM rims with really good condition tires for $2200 - $2700. We are hoping to make an appointment to see them this weekend. And hoping they don't sell before we get there. They are 3 hrs away but we will be heading that way on Sat.

D just made a fairly large purchase -- A road bike. That's what we will be picking up this weekend. He has friends who are heavily into long distance racing and D is hoping to join in for next season. Next thing you know he'll be doing triathlons. Guess my pack muling days aren't over just yet.

We tried our hand at making Turkish coffee last night using the Cezve and coffee I brought home. It was too watery compared to what I had so we'll need to keep at it. D is loving the Turkish delight (pomegranate and pistachio) as well as the roasted pistachio nuts.

I was a bit worried as to whether they would allow me to bring the snacks back to the country because on our customs declaration form, it did mention nuts but in the end I believe it meant raw nuts vs processed. I was all ready to eat them up right there if it wasn't allowed. The nuts cost 90 TL a kilo and I had 1/2 kilo in my possession!

Back to Regular Programming

Am back from another great trip. I was happy to get home. Flights were delayed due to weather and luckily not to an Air Canada strike. Me and 2 others ended up at seats where the entertainment units malfunctioned.

10 hrs is a long time to entertain oneself when I had been looking forward to seeing 4 movies. We did get a 5% off voucher for our suffering. Thank goodness for my tablet.

Due to jet lag, I've been up the past 5 hrs doing bookkeeping, returning emails and taking stock of phone messages. Less to do on Monday.

This trip had a lot of travel built into it so I didn't walk as much as I usually do. D still thought I loss weight so that was good to hear.

I'm concerned about Athen's future. It was absolute gridlock when I was there as the metro and buses were on strike. I had arranged for private transportation because I didn't want to trust my luck. Those who didn't depended on taxis and paid through their noses to get anywhere.

It took over 2 hrs to get from the port of Pireaus to the Acropolis. 45 min is the norm. On the way back, a truck deliberately blocked the entrance to the port (which was flooded from the torrential rain) so it took nearly 3 hrs before I was able to get off.

People seemed so sad. The weather didn't help. It was 11 degrees Celsius with lightning and thunder and pouring rain. The wind was crazy. Many umbrellas broke and I managed to bruise myself from having the handle of mine so tight against me.

There were a few injuries as well. The marble steps and walkways at the Acropolis got really slippery when wet. My shoes did their job and gripped.

Despite the weather and traffic challenges, I learned a lot and the view from the top was pretty awesome. No time to do a lot of shopping or eating in the Plaka this time around. Because it was so cool, I had been dreaming of Moussaka but I needed to back to get to Rhodes on time.

I am not keen on returning to Athens until they get things sorted out. The logistics and state of the city (garbage and city works dept on strike...) isn't going to help their tourism sector. I saw a lot of unhappy people who were trying to make their way to the port to check in to their luxury cruise liner (Seabourn) having flown into Athens.

Off I Go

Good news came today in the form of a notification that my travel cancellation claim for my Buenos Aires trip has been processed and I will be receiving a cheque for the entire amount!

It took 3 weeks which I feel is very reasonable. I thought it was going to take 4 - 6 weeks. D will keep the cheque safe for me until I return. I leave tonight.

Have a great couple of weeks everyone!

Travel Clothing Update

After a couple of months of use I have some feedback on the new travel clothes I bought. I wanted to see if there really was something to them and if it was possible to find clothing that didn't look like too stereotypical travel.

At a local hiking/camping store I found a couple of items on sale made by Kuhl. They happened to fit so I came home with their "Sierra" skirt and "Kuhl Jean". Both worked really well in Scandinavia. Really comfortable and looked urban enough to wear everyday and I have been.

I then ordered another jean and skirt (same style, different colours) online from Campmor for about the same sale price as my local store had no more stock.

I found them to pack well, light as anything and even water resistant. They looked a bit wrinkled at first after unpacking but once hung they straightened out. They also straightened out well when worn. Easy to wash.

My only issue was with the 2nd pant which fitted snugger than the first even though they were the same size. But I had lost weight after that trip so the first pair seemed a bit loose. After a few minutes in the dryer it shrunk just enough to be perfect.

There are many brands available. None of them I would call cheap. You can even get travel underwear which are supposed to dry in 3 -4 hrs after hand washing. Be prepared to shell out $25 - $35 a pair.

The main thing in common with all the pieces I saw was the strong feeling of durability. I think if you are in market, you'll probably only need a few key pieces and they will likely last you "forever".

Home Maintenance Update

Well the partial roof replacement has been done and we got the bill and it has been paid. There was a little glitch of being charged $60 more than invoiced but I believe it was just a slip of the hand when entering the amount. They are correcting it.

Yesterday we got a quote for our driveway replacement. The concrete company representative arrived first and we were pleasantly surprised at the $6400 quote. In our minds we thought it was going to over $10000.

He told us that people have this idea concrete is really really expensive when it turned out to be maybe about $1500 more than asphalt. That was his guess. The asphalt company hasn't provided their quote yet.

I just want an idea for budgeting purposes. Have not decided when to get it done. Outside of the main roof which we've already saved for, central air conditioning unit (to come someday), the driveway is the last of the big things on our house maintenance list.

Artsy Stuff

One of the things I am most looking forward to on this next voyage is seeing Arabic Calligraphy done (hopefully in person!). I love the different forms of script found all around the world.

When I was younger, I remember getting a new calligraphy kit each year and doing pages and pages of writing in all different ink colours. I would love to take a formal course on it.

Turns out there are calligraphy guilds all around the world. I'm considering contacting the nearest one to find out if there are workshops available.

A current TV commercial for Hyundai features Mozart's Sonata in B flat Major reminded me I haven't touched my piano in a very long time. I played that Sonata for my grade 10 piano exam 21 yrs ago...gosh I feel not so young... :)

Updates

My Naturopathic appointment has come and gone. Five vials of blood and $453 later, I'm set for now and waiting for results to come back in about about a month.

She recommended a more extensive blood test to me vs what D got because I've actually gotten hives from things (food and other) meaning I've had a history of quick reactions. I'm just glad we have some extended health coverage for such things.

I'm going to be gone soon for a couple of weeks so I am just going to enjoy myself and not worry about what I may or may not be allergic to.

I only need Euro and Turkish Lira on this next trip and got the Lira yesterday so I'm set. Just enough pocket money for small meals and stuff. Anything else will be on credit card. Euro, I usually have a stash of it at home so didn't need any more.

Housing Comparables

A new organic butcher has moved into our area and I'm looking forward to stopping by to see what they have. Since our last butcher moved we haven't had easy access to organic meat so we just cut back.

Now that it looks like we may have a good option again, we are hoping to go back to organic but continue at our lower consumption levels.

D and I really like real estate shows on TV. When I see couples our age or younger searching for housing in the $800K - 1.2 mil range I get fascinated at how they do it. Makes me feel like I am missing out on something.

So D went and calculated that an $800K mortgage paid bi-weekly over 25 yrs is not far from what we had been paying. So I guess if we really really wanted to, we too can afford to own something that expensive.

In reality, if I had to spend a million on real estate, I wouldn't do so on one property. I'd own a main house, a cottage/city bolt hole and an apartment in Nice/Amsterdam.

Based on what we already know of real estate costs in those places, it is very doable and would give us more joy than just one mansion. It helps to know our home when found in a city location would cost at least $700K and up.

Food and More Free Stuff

We went over our customary 2 week food budget by around $35 due to surprise meat sales and we wanted to stock up. Now that we don't eat much meat, this shop is expected to last quite a while.

It never fails to shock us just how much we can buy if you shop what is on sale vs what you are craving as well as real food vs processed food.

Continuing on the theme of getting stuff for free, we are a bit peeved that our blue Air Miles program no longer offers the 2 for 1 movie vouchers. Really, they are the only rewards we are interested in getting from them.

As they are not available anymore, we will opt for $20 grocery gift cards instead. I remind myself it is still free...

Free and Not so Free

We received our 3rd $50 gas card courtesy of Mastercard today. It's fun to get something free, especially when the card doesn't cost us anything. Pretty much anything we can charge on the credit card we do.

The partial roof replacement has finally been done and when it gets charged on our Visa, we will be getting yet another gas card. We have been driving around more lately so free gas is definitely welcomed.

Our eyes were opened when we were at our local bulk food store to buy gluten free flour. Three scoops came to over $9! I don't know how people who have to eat gluten free can afford all the pre-made foods.

Life and Taxes

D told me his potential yearly bonus to be paid in Jan 2012 will be taxed almost 50% if we choose to accept it straight up. Don't you love Canadian taxes?

He has the option of putting it into his RSP and with his tax bracket will receive a good portion back as a tax refund. We just won't get the money until he files his taxes and the return is processed meaning March. We will go this route.

The plan for the money is still the same. Whatever we get back will go as a lump sum payment to the new consolidated mortgage as if he was still paying for the car separately. Psychologically it helps us remember the true mortgage portion rather than looking at the whole number.

My next trip is approaching fast. Barring any airline and various country strikes I am expecting to arrive on time and have a fabulous time. When I was considering this getaway, I wasn't sure I could afford the time off. Now that it is coming up, I am thankful for it.

Mentally I've made another step forward. To a place where I am believing the pressure to bring in a certain amount of income is almost all gone. I did a fun calculation yesterday to prove to myself just that.

I figured out I need to work one day a month to cover my office expenses. Any more goes to savings and spending money. It was a relief to see it in black and white. On average I am now working between 6 - 8 days a month with 10 weeks off a year.

For the next phase of personal development I want to start taking Arts courses again at the university level. A friend of mine achieved his Bachelor of Arts a couple of years ago having plugged away at it part time for years while working full time in engineering. I was so inspired by his dedication.

Other than a French course I took a few years back, I haven't studied at that level since and am anxious to get back at it. Not sure if I want things too structured meaning the degree route as there are many subjects I'd like to take just for general interest. They may not all add up to a degree.

Allergies

D and I decided to make appointments with a Naturopath to find out ways to become healthier. We were wondering about any latent food allergies.

One way to find out is via a fairly pricey blood test which D took. I haven't had my appointment yet.

Well, the results came back and they are not pretty. Turns out our eating will be changing as it has been found that D is quite allergic to dairy and eggs, two of his favourite food groups.

Re-testing will take place in 6 months but in the meantime, it has been recommend he avoid those foods.

Now I'm nervous about my appointment and what I may be finding out. It is shocking to find out you have allergies to something when you don't have overt symptoms while eating those foods.

As you can imagine, D is not impressed. Meanwhile we are off learning about food substitutes.

Extreme Couponing

D and I saw our first episode of "Extreme Couponing". It was something! Foreign concept for us Canadians as we don't (or at least my area doesn't) get many coupons at all.

Once in a blue moon, we'll receive an envelope with some coupons in it for $1 off some product that costs $3.50 or buy one dinner get the 2nd at 1/2 price. And the dinner is in the $14 - 17 range.

When there are useful coupons, there is also a limit of 4 or 6. It is unheard of for us to buy things in the hundreds at a time or for stores to double a coupon or mark something down such that a coupon could cover the entire cost of an item.

Both D and I felt royally ripped off after watching that show.

I am not a hoarder but if I lived in an area that offered an opportunity to get something I use for free, I know I would take advantage of it. With some organization, you can get weekly/biweekly groceries for "free".

We don't eat a whole lot of processed food so that would cut out a lot of the things we saw people were buying on the show.

There is also no reason for me to want hundreds of hand soap or deodorant or shampoo. I'd just keep an eye for sales and coupons when I know I am getting down.

Pension Thoughts

I received confirmation of my part time status at work which will mean a refund cheque will be coming for the difference in my registration fees.

It will make a difference of around $550/yr just for reducing my work hours by one more hour. Had I been more diligent with finding out about this, I could have instated this change back in July. Oh well, it is done now.

We have also decided to use D's (hopefully) annual bonus towards our new consolidated mortgage until the principle amount of what the car represents is paid off. We are not sure how much that will be until Nov of each year.

We are also suppose to receive D's first pension statement then too. I'm extra excited about that. This may sound silly but I have strange fascination for defined benefit pension plans.

Partly because I know a number of people who work for the federal government and my Dad works for the municipal government so I grew up having access to great benefits.

It has also not escaped my eyes the differences I see between retired friends who have such a great pension and those who do not.

In my experience, the ones who have the great pensions ($75K/yr and up) don't appear to be as money savvy as the ones who don't. It could be they don't like sorting out money stuff or it could be they knew they didn't have to know because they were going to be provided for.

The younger people we know who have such pensions tend to be more cautious. They are questioning whether current and future government cut backs will change their pensions. They are going to save on the side just in case.

Until D and I got together, I had no benefits of any sort so I am able to appreciate just how much that can matter. I see it as a form of income. As for the pension part, I see it as getting paid twice for doing one job.

Doesn't really make sense from a business point of view but I'd love to have one. Especially when you do the calculations on how much you'd have to save in order to make your own never ending pension.

When I mention this to my older retired friends, you can tell they haven't considered this nor have done the calculations and realized just what that would have meant to their lifestyles had they needed to put away a significant part of their income along the way.

I can just imagine what I would be able to do in the living my dreams department if I could spend nearly all I made, knowing I'll be "paid" a great amount starting at age 55 or 60 or 65.

Unless I am willing to change careers (assuming I would even get hired) and work for even longer, I am satisfied with living vicariously through D.

D's Advice

D gave me great advice when he suggested I'd better buy my flight with AC. For the past few years we have been able to count on drastic fare reductions in the early fall, about 1 month before travel.

Nothing so far this month. In fact prices have risen a couple of hundred dollars since last week.

KLM just announced their late fall/winter sale prices and save a couple of places, all prices are in the 4 digits. Those fares aren't going to entice anyone. Have we reached the end of "cheap" travel?

I never thought I would hear myself say this but I am mentally feeling the effects of all the transatlantic flights I've taken this year. There are 4 more to go before the end of the year and I'm not actively searching for more.

In other news my TV is expected to arrive today. It will likely take D a bit of time to get it mounted and all the cords attached. It's our first LCD TV.

The back story behind the TV purchase had to do with me finding a used 22" CRT for sale ($25) on our local online classified ads.

D Absolutely Freaked Out at the thought of me going there and buying it and refused to help move or set it up if I did. I was going to offer them $20 if it looked/worked alright.

In my mind it was an upgrade since my current one was 19". And if it was in as excellent a condition as the owner said it was (they also lived in a nice part of town), it would do the job.

I was told to get with the times, get off my wallet, no one buys a tube TV anymore, he'd rather I buy nothing than to buy that, how embarrassing it would look, how ridiculously heavy they are, how much room they take up...did I get all of it D?

The irony of the whole thing? He accused me of acting like an old person. This coming from a dude who frequently makes references to sayings and events that I have no idea what he's talking about and more often than not, pre-dates my birth!

Back to AC

Because of my bonus new fall trip, I have decided to work an extra week to make up part of the time I will be away.

D & I have been talking about not going out west for Christmas this year and do 2 outings during the winter instead.

The benefits of doing that is much less travel volume as well as potentially lower flight costs and better ski conditions. I will miss the Christmas spirit of the place though so this experiment may be a one of.

A surprising turn of events where flights are concerned. I haven't flown Air Canada for a long time. Their prices, my losing a bunch of Aeroplan miles way back, didn't endear me to them.

All of a sudden I find myself with not just one but potentially 3 flights with AC in the next 5 months.

My next trip requires I connect in Rome early in the morning. My usual companies of Delta/KLM/Air France cannot get me there on time. Alitalia can but at the cost of my arm so I passed. But AC came through!

AC is also coming through on flights out west. Westjet, our normal carrier has changed their flight schedules such that coming home with them will involve a good amount of pain. D will be making the final decisions for this leg.

Pros & Cons of Cruising

Pros:

• unpacking once




• lots to eat




• sailing to places vs bus or train or plane is really relaxing




• cover a lot of distance in a relatively short time




• lots of cities were built by the water for transport/trade purposes so lends itself to this style of travel




• clean environment




• makes you realize just how little you need in terms of space and things




• hotel like service




• lots of places where you don't encounter even 5 people




• opportunity to dress up




• laundry services




• great overview of many countries




• ships are amazing feats of engineering




• lots of exercise classes to choose from




• efficient check in & out




• all age ranges




• travelling with so many people made me even more determined to avoid the tourist traps as they can get over runned




• forces you to really prepare for the ports because you don't have days to find your way around




• locations where you'd otherwise need a Visa, like St Petersburg or Turkey you are covered by the ship's Visa

Cons:

• lots of people around top deck where the pools are -- that's where the "action" is




• spa is pricey-- $95US for 1 hr massage




• certain ports do require you purchase excursions




• excursion cost add up




• announcements can be loud




• getting to and from the ship can be far and difficult to do on your own




• easy to over eat




• stateroom and dining attendants can be over attentive




• sea sickness if sailing over rough seas or if susceptible




• lots of people at meal times




• lots of examples of fellow passengers over indulging (food)




• your room key as your charge card can tempt one to spend more

Over all I found it a really neat way to travel. I am still happy to have seen so many harder to reach places for a fraction of time and cost of doing my own itinerary. I would consider taking a cruise again.

The cruise line I sailed with (Royal Caribbean) was I think considered middle of the road service and price wise. Some higher class lines offer pretty impressive 30 - 60 day itineraries that would be quite something to experience.

I'm not sure I would bother with a more expensive cruise line as I see this mode of travel as not much different than a place to sleep and eat. It just gets me to places I want to see in comfort.

There were a good number of people who would come back onto the ship for lunch or dinner (at late dept ports). I didn't get that. For me, what I look forward to on a trip is to try out the local food. Most of my spending money goes to those experiences.

World Climates

Not only is world weather seeming more and more extreme, so are its people, especially in Europe.

Today I read of the large scale union strike in Rome which disrupted many modes of transport as a reaction to proposed austerity measures. They follow in the footsteps of Greece, Spain and Portugal and others I haven't know about.

As a person who isn't the biggest fan of change, especially ones imposed by an outside source, I can understand the backlash. But I am also a realist. If I cannot afford something, I cannot afford something. No issue with voicing displeasure but I would also be planning for the worst at the same time.

And if something I've been able to enjoy (like education or health care in Canada, for example) can no longer be heavily or totally subsidized by government monies, then I would budget for it should I still wish it in my life.

A two tiered system already exists. In Canada, if I wanted to see a Naturopath, I have to pay out of pocket because my extended health insurance doesn't cover it 100%. Heck, if someone wanted to have an consultation with me, same thing.

If I wanted to eat organic food, I pay more. It's pretty much drilled into our psyches that most if not all new jobs nowadays just don't come with defined benefit pension plans anymore. And government held plans aren't totally to be relied upon.

So what do we do? Increase our self reliance. Our ability to cut costs and live on less when needed is a powerful trait. It cuts out the whining and complaining that come from the feeling of entitlement and the belief that the only direction is up.

I sent away my travel cancellation package today. Going through the process will be educational. If the current economic and politial climates continue in areas I intent to visit, I may need to call on such insurance policies in the future.

I Bought It

My new TV is on its way. There was a Labour Day online sale at Best Buy and the TV I had my eye on was part of this sale at $130 off what we saw yesterday, with free shipping.

A moderately long discussion ensued and I decided if I was serious about it, this is the best price we have seen this year. The other option is to continue to wait as eventually newer models come out and older ones go on sale.

That can be said of most if not all electronics. So I went for it. I paid $499 (+ 13% tax) for an LG 42" 1080p 120 Hz LCD TV.

I will need to buy a DVD player and a wall mount. That will likely happen tomorrow night after supper. My old TV (19" Toshiba CRT) will not be thrown out or given away. It will have another job.

In other news I finished putting together the package for the travel insurance company regarding my cancelled trip. I'm going to send it via trackable means so I can be sure it arrived. Fingers crossed my claim will be considered valid.

Back Packs

I'm not completely convinced with my new back pack. Like layout of houses, I prefer an "open concept" design vs a traditional many walls and many smaller rooms (unless room sizes are large enough without feeling closed in). Same with packs. There isn't one that is "perfect" for me.

A large central open space that can open almost completely, like the jaws of a shark makes placing once folded clothing in easy. I'm not a roll my clothes person. I find folding clothing just once helps to keep them pressed better especially when I may not have access to an iron.

I like a reasonable width to the pack as well. It means I can slide a pair of sandals (and umbrella) down the side close to the opening so when I am arriving at a warmer destination, I can quickly locate them and change my shoes on the plane before disembarking. I don't wear sandals on a long haul flight because I'm usually freezing and need socks.

There should be one or two smaller zipped pockets as well as a side pocket. The front zipped ones are great for tissues, snacks and the bag of liquids you need to show at x-ray time. The side pocket is where I put my eye mask and ear plugs for easy access.

On a styling note, I would prefer if my pack doesn't scream "camping". So finding one that looks more urban has been a challenge. I want to look as if I'm visiting for the weekend, not someone who has come from far away and have packed to match.

My new one is 33 L, an upgrade from my old one and the shoulder straps are much better designed with a chest strap for weight distribution should you wish. The colour is in a men's charcoal grey and pretty nondescript outside of the logo. In fact this is a guy's pack so the length is slightly longer than I would ideally like.

I might look around a bit more but this one hits the requirements the best and doesn't break the bank. I can now safely find another job for my 15 yr old Eddie Bauer back pack.

Fun Days

My new trip is a go. I will be leaving in about a month. Best deal yet!

Back to work next week also. I'm ready to get back into it.

I've been out casually searching for a couple of things this long weekend -- A TV and a travel backpack. Pretty sure my wrenched shoulder had something to do with my older less ergonomic style pack.

The TV is something I been looking at for a while. Just haven't been able to pull the trigger on it yet. It's getting closer though. 40" LED or LCD TVs with 1080p and 120 Hz are coming down in price.

We also took advantage of our bonus time at home to wander around local farmers' markets and picked up some end of season raspberries, strawberries and peaches. They were delicious!

I love diners so we've gone out for breakfast a couple of times too. Wouldn't want to eat like that everyday but once or twice in a while is a fun treat.

Re-Financing

Next week I will be signing some papers at my bank to combine the remaining portion of D's mortgage and car loan responsibilities to open up some investment (cash or real estate) options.

The LOC used for the car loan is at 3.5% and the mortgages are at 2.1% and 2.25%. The combined new rate is 2.3% with a 5 yr amortization (4 yr 6 mnth when paid bi-weekly) at no cost to us for the change.

I have to go and sign because all those loans are in my name. Total amortization for mortgage completion for 2 properties will be essentially less than 8.5 yrs because of the car loan thrown in.

Currently D pays around $1200 bi-weekly to service all three. By combining them, his payments drop to $800 bi-weekly with option to prepay up to 15% yearly.

He won't be doing that. The difference will get saved/invested.

I'm surprising good with this idea. This is as close to a "consolidation" as I've ever got and I can see why people do it now and how easy it is to get in trouble.

Take a $200000 mortgage with a 15 yr amortization and add on $80000 worth of debt and re-amortize it for 30 yrs and voila, monthly payments are easier. Do this a couple of times and you owe more than your house is worth but you have all the toys.

Keener

I know I've been suffering with some pain lately but my online MasterCard statement sent me right over yesterday in the worse way.

It has felt like I was not doing such a great job zeroing out purchases.

I'll admit some responsibility here.

When we do spend, I'll immediately pay for it out of some account or another, ofter before it even posts online. When it finally does, I've already accounted for it and I would consider it "zeroed".

What has been bugging me was something I didn't notice until my frustration boiled over and D took over and pointed out.

It takes a day or so before the overall numbers reflect the true balance. And because I was over diligent in my paying things off (so I wouldn't have to think about it), I was messing it all up and confusing myself.

It felt as if I wasn't getting ahead despite my throwing lots of payment money at it.

Yesterday the balance owing was around $300 more than I expected (zero) and that's when I lost it, gave myself a stomach ache, and assumed I forgot something somewhere.

So D saved the night by noticing that my last 2 payments wasn't reflected in the overall totals yet even though it said it did. It took him a while because in any given month our credit card statement contain about 50 plus line items.

And this morning? It reflected what I thought it should have been. All is well. I can't believe I managed to get myself crazy just for being a keen payment payer.

Have a great long weekend to my fellow Canadians & Americans!

My Turn

I knew the day would come and it did, on the day I visited Copenhagen. I found my first grey hair later that evening. As I am not the jump up and down freak out type of person, I just stood there stunned.

It's one of those things I wouldn't think anything of on someone else but on myself I was a bit shocked. Did managed to lose it even though I thought I put it in a secure enough spot in my wallet to take home.

It became real to me that time was ticking away and I was really aging. Sure I have laugh lines and I have notice the increased need to moisturize and exercise.

But the thought of someday wanting to dye my hair to hide the grey and the increased maintenance and expense didn't excite me.

Dying my hair a neat shade because I feel like it is one thing. I've been medium blond to burgundy in my younger years. But haven't changed my hair colour for over a decade.

Maybe when the time comes I will be OK with the natural change of my hair and not want to cover it up. I don't know right now.

I just got my hair cut and told my stylist about my finding and he told me he has been salt and pepper for many years now and he is currently 45 yrs old. He also told me I wasn't ready for hair colour yet.

Not sure if he meant mentally/emotionally (I would agree) or from the standpoint of grey or both.

For the following week after my first finding, I kept seeing imaginary grey hairs which ended up being light reflections. I haven't searched for over a week so it seems I have calmed down from the episode, for now.

Surprise!

I was surprised (in a not so good way) yesterday afternoon when I noticed our furnace fan wouldn't come on.

Normally I would turn the central fan on and most of the time the resultant air circulation is such that air conditioning isn't needed. But something was wrong.

I called D and we decided to contact the heating contractors who installed our furnace 3 years ago. We have a high efficiency Lennox furnace with a 10 yr warranty.

Good thing I called because I found out that that particular model and year has known issues with its control board.

They were able to send someone the same day as they were in between seasons and it literally took only 20 min to diagnose and replace and voila, we have a working unit again all covered under warranty.

I was nervous not knowing the extent of the problem and how much it was going to cost. Same kind of nervousness I get at the auto mechanics.

Deals and More Deals!

Those daily email deals can be really distracting and evil!

I've found they have appealed to the "wants" list in me. Things I've considered but put off due to price. Now that I am getting some of them at 40 - 50% off, all of a sudden I'm considering it, even though I haven't budgeted for them.

Occasionally we'll get one that is on our "needs" list. It can be a great deal then. We are also taking advantage of new restaurant deals as they price way under what we would normally spend on our monthly anniversary dinners.

I typed too soon yesterday when I said no trips planned until Nov. I have found one, and of course it is at the best price yet -- Just when I didn't think prices could be any lower...It is a continuation of the Greece and Turkey quick tour I did last year. This time including Istanbul and Athens.

I have till tomorrow to decide so I'll be busy today pricing out my own flights and transfers so I can have an overall price to work with. If you haven't already, check out this blog for some amazing inspiration!

We got an answer from D's HR regarding taking time off without pay. They cannot find in policy manuals anywhere that says no, so if it is OK with D's immediate boss, then it can be done. Basically as long as he takes the time off when no major projects need him, it's cool.

I have a feeling D will be using extra off to go skiing. He and I have very different uses of our respective "dream account" monies. He likes stuff ie. cars, specialized coffee makers, watches, foreign magazines etc. while I like to travel.

This is what was delivered to our home while I was away...I'm expecting this to come next.

Have to admit, you can already taste the difference. Apparently, when the next piece gets integrated we will be amazed. It's great to see him so enthusiastic. It's just like me with travel.

Slowly Recovering

I hate being sick and I hate being in pain and I hate feeling lethargic. Tell you something that is obvious, right?

Four more months til the end of another work year. Lot of changes already so far. Hoping for calmer times for the next little while.

No trips planned until Nov -- Our somewhat yearly return to France. Paris and Nice is like our second home. We can do that trip without much thinking or effort.

My shoulder rehab is coming along OK. I won't be going back to work for another week or so. Expecting to be mostly recovered by then. I can at least do 15 modified push ups now.

Having tracked the flights I was supposed to take I found out the 2nd flight (JFK - Santiago) was delayed likely due to the change in trajectory to avoid the hurricane. It means I would have missed my connection to Buenos Aires.

What an even longer day that would have been. First an eight hour layover (courtesy of all the flight changes), then a 11 hr flight. Wait 3 hrs until the next available flight (if there is room), another 2 hr flight, customs in BA and finally a 40 min cab ride to the apartment.

Pretty unfriendly itinerary. I shudder to think just how tired I would have been. Thankful that things happen for a reason.

Travel Insurance

I just found out there is a chance I may qualify for trip cancellation insurance benefits.

The last time I claimed anything from insurance policies was over a decade ago when my first laptop's power cord died prematurely.

My experience with the claims adjuster/adjudicator was really good. All I had to do was to prove my purchase and send them a copy of the note saying it cannot be repairable and they will reimburse me for the new one.

Part of my credit card benefits is travel cancellation/interruption. When it was suggested to me to find out, I called and spoke to a nice fellow who is sending me a package to fill out. Someone else will decide if I would be eligible for anything.

Though not related to my shoulder issue, the closing of JFK due to hurricane Irene may work in my favour too. It would be a neat bonus if I qualified to get some monies back.

In the meantime I am enjoying my staycation.

Buenos Aires Ousted Again

I was supposed to be on a plane today as the long awaited and mult timed postponed trips to Buenos Aires has finally come up.

Alas, I am not and I am now believing the universe does not wish me to venture south to the next continent. As a lot of you know, this is my 4th attempt.

The signs haven't been all bad. For example, the currency exchange I use was actually able to get me Argentine Pesos in small denominations. They have issues with fake $100 notes down there so small bills are the way to go, that is if you can find them.

The owners of the apartment I've tried to stay at the last 2 times and the owner before that have been super nice. I think even they are wondering what is going on.

Even the 8 - 8 1/2 hr layovers each way wasn't really going to stop me this time. My flight scheduling experience with LAN have been horrible. Six changes (last one 2 weeks ago) each one making the travelling experience worse. I would not have booked flights that had such long layovers.

I wanted to try the local national airline as I have had good experiences with KLM, Alitalia, Icelandair, Swiss Air etc.

But what has really stopped me is a wrenched shoulder 2 weeks ago. I had hoped it would have gotten better by now but it has stalled in the "still really bad" stage, even with drugs.

Work has been really tough because of it and getting treatment for it has hurt but it is a "good" hurt, if you know what I mean. Considering I've worked with broken ribs and wrist, this one has bugged me more.

I cannot imagine having to lug around a backpack, knapsack or purse for any period of time.

The thought had crossed my mind to just go anyways since I might as well be in pain in a new exciting place...that's the 26 yr old me speaking. The near 40 yr old is hunting for another trip...