I think this is going to be a pretty bad winter if this is any indication. It got to a high of 37 today with cold winds, and it is only the middle of November. Winter doesn't start for a month and a half. We had snow on Halloween night. The cold bothers me a whole lot more now that I taken medication for blood thinning because of my heart attack. I am wishing for spring!

It does not take much to get me excited. This is only the 4th time I have found change all year. My total for the year is now 85 cents!
I talked to Vanguard yesterday about my IRA mututl fund. I am supposed to start received a monthly pay off thru my bank on the 20th of this month. I am excited! I actually plan to put the money BACK into a mutual fund for as long as I can. Since hubby is still working, we still have his salary to live on, but this will be a nice bonus if I need it.

Christmas!! I would have to remind you, right! I just give cash for christmas except to my hubby!
It is a beautiful day here; feels like spring.

I still have not heard back from Vanguard as to why they blocked on line access to my account with them. It is my IRA account. I called again this morning and was told someone would call me back this week.

I feel a little better because I am now able to access my account with the tele phone line. My account is still there. I could not access it last Friday and that had me upset. I will keep you posted as to what the problem is when I find out.

I received a letter from Vanguard yesterday advising me that they had blocked online access to my vanguard accounts. They gave me a number to call.
I immediately called and was told that an advisor would call me back. They never called.
I called 3 more times and was given the same answer.

Finally, I asked for a supervisor who told me that I would be called back by "an interior department" but not until Monday or later.

I tried to just check my balance by telephone. And assistant came on and repeated that I would be called back by an advisor. I tired to check my balance on line, my password is invalid. This is a large sum of money, needless to say, I am worried. This is my IRA account and I have not made any transactions in a long time.

I do not understand why they can not tell me my balance or even if my money is still there. I am very upset, but don't know what to do???

Any advice?

Me, not so good.!
We ttok Molly into the vets at 9 a.m. to have surgery. They said they would call us by noon to tell us how she was doing.
I finally called them at 1 p.m. and they said she was still in surgery and to call back.
I called back at 2 pm and got the answering machine, so I drove the 7 miles to the vet's office.

She was out of surgery and doing ok, but I cried all the way home.
We have her home now and she seems to be ok but very quiet. I fed her a little egg custard for breakfast. (She has aa very sore throat from the incision)
She is a brave little girl and has never cried once. (Not like her mama)

My little Molly is undergoing surgery this morning. I did nnot get much sleep last night.
Last weekend, we felt a lump in her neck and I took her in immmediately on Monday to the vet.
They had to put a needle in her neck for a biopsy and later draw some blood for blood work. She never whimpered or cried. In fact, the girl that was holding her, when she got the needle in her neck, said to me, "Molly licked my face."
She is such a sweet and brave girl. I appreciate you all sending good thoughts her way.

(Molly is my older dog, age 5. She is a maltapoo. Her mother was a full blooded black poodle and her father was a full blooded white maltese. Molly looks like her daddy. She is full blooded sweetness!!!)

In last week's paper, the local shelter featured a dog named Benny. They said that Benny needed surgery. I sent a check to them for the surgery and yesterday I received a thank you note from Benny. A big Woof!
I have not gotten a handwritten thank you note in years. (But I still send them)
Very nice!

I got a nice surprise in the mail yesterday. A friend has been calling dh and asking him a lot of questions about a small house he is building for his daughter. Sometimes they talk at Home Depot.
Yesterday, he sent him a $25 gift certificate for our local grocery store and told him to buy some beer with it! So, bottoms up!! He will enjoy this!

WE had a bad storm last night, which knocked out the power from 11 pm til 4 am. I could not sleep, cause the dogs were so nervous. The power kept coming on for just a second, every 20 minutes ago. The lights in the garage door ( opener) would flash, the refrigerator would hum, and they thought someone was here. Molly, the older dog, was about to hyperventilate, and Abbey, the baby, was ready to protect us with all of her 7 pound frame. Poor babies. I finally got up and sat with them til the power came back on.

I should get a check from the sale of my Tim Horton stock next week. Right now my $20 challenge stands at:

Previous total $13,168.00
today 5.00
new total $13,173.00

I wonder, but i doublt it. I still have a christmas club book that I opened back in the early 1990's. I still try to put away $30 a week for christmas. I don't buy many presents; my husband and I need nothing. But I give money to my grandchildren and my great granddaughter. Also, my dog groomer and others.

I keep a personal checking account that pays interest. This month my balances ran between $5600.00 and $7800.00. My interst came to a grand, 5 cents!
Oh, for the good old days when interest rates were 5% and up. (I worked for a S&L and we paid 8% on c.d.'s)

I read money magazine every month and have for many years. When I was first learning to invest in mutual funds, money magazine was my guide.
I noticed a mistake on page 26 of this month's magazine. I tried to write them, but I cannot get thru on their computer address and I can not find a mailing address.
Anyway, the mistake is on "crack a CD." They state that you will only lose $100 in penalties for cashing in a 5 year $100,000 CD paying 2%. I am sorry, but the penalty is actually $1000. (I know because I just lost $550 in penalty for cashing in $100,000 at 1.1% My bank was closing and no branches are available in this state.)

I hope someone writes to them and tells them of their mistake.

I have decided to make a mutual fund challege for myself.
Over the past several years, my husband and I (he is a builder) have been building spec houses for sale.

I have always been a saver, so I have tried to save money the past few years, to buy land and build these homes for cash.
We have 7 pieces of land now, all completely paid for. (All have a great view of the mountains)

I have not made any interest on the cash in my accounts, cause rates are so low. A few months ago, I decided to go back and invest in mutual funds instead of savings account.

I started the mutual fund challenge (but I didn't call it that) on May 5, 2014.

So far, I have been able to invest $2100 into mutual funds in the past 2 and a half months. My goal for the year is $7000.

I will update every time I add to my mutual funds.

Currently,
Mutual fund challenge YTD $2100.00

Goal for 2014 $7000.00

Most women like to buy clothes and/or shoes. I like to buy land. Today, I resisted temptation to go to a land sale. This is not an auction. Over the past 3 years, I have attended many of the sales and have bought 10 pieces of property. We build spec homes on them, for sale.

I am always amazed at some of the lost change people find. C.B. comes to mind. She is always reporting that she found change on the ground.
Well, last year, I found a grand total of 15 cents.
Yesterday, I found my first change of the year and it is already July. I found 34 cents. Oh well, I am beating last years total!

Over the past few years, we have bought about 10 lots at local land sales. These were not auctions; we paid the asking price. My husband is a builder, but we just have to many lots, so we have decided to put some of them up for sale.

I will owner finance, with a low down payment and 5% interest for up to 10 years. I ran an ad in the paper and just got my first call today.

We have a very nice mountain view lot in a gated subdivision, one acre, It has river and lake access. It is located between Murphy, N.C. and Hayesville, N.C. off of highway 64. It is one acre. It has been appraised at $100,000. I am asking $30,000.

I have 2 acres with a mountain view in a gated subdivision. It has a clubhouse, swimming pool and tennis courts. Original asking price was $120,000. I am asking $45,000.

I also have one acre, in Blairsville, Ga. with KILLer mountain views. Original price was $120,000. I am asking $55,000.

(opps, the 2 acres is near Hiawassee, Georgia)

Anyone want to buy some mountain view land??

We sold and closed on our spec house about 2 weeks ago. Hubby has started another spec house in the same neighborhood; great mountain view and on a creek.

The people that bought the house stopped by this week. They said it is the best built house that they have ever owned, and they have lived in 21 new houses!

Wow, I am married to a builder and I have only ever lived in 4 new houses in my lifetime!

Happy 4th. We are just staying home tonight. We went out to dinner last night. On the way home, we got stopped in a traffic ( license) check about a block from our house. The officer must have known us cause he said, he thought we had a red corvette. We replied that we do, but tonight we are driving the yellow one. He asked which one is newer? Neither one. We have a 2008 with 22,000 miles and a 2010 with 15,000 miles. My hubby keeps them so clean, they both look brand new. Now, hubby wants a brand new one!! He is such a hard worker, I usually let him splurge on new cars.

We listed our house in late April. The first couple that looked at it made a low ball offer, which we refused. They have come back several times and made a new offer every time. They really want the house.

Finally, we excepted. I wish we knew how to sell the house ourselves and skip the commission. The real estate agents made far more money on the house than my husband did, even after working on it full time for a year. Don't get mad at me RE agents!! Our gal did not even have to advertise it once! My husband is known for his quality work, so he does everything himself.

Anyway, we have the closing at the end of this month. This is a spec house, hubby is a builder.

I had my check up at the heart doctor's this week. So far, everything is ok. The only tow complaints that I have; my knees and shoulders hurt a lot, probably arthritis, and I just can't sleep at night.
The doctor did not want to give me anything to help out my problems, so I am probably going to ask my regular doctor. Medicare picks up part of this tab, so I don't know what my bill will be yet.

I got up yesterday morning to NO heat! Since I am on medication for my heart, I am cold all the time.
My husband had checked the propane tank about a month ago, and it showed 30%.
He checked it again yesterday, again 30%. Then he banged on it. The needle went to 0%.
I got 300 gallons delivered. (We have a 1000 gal. tank) That 300 gallons was almost $900. I sure hope the price goes down this summer. We paid $2.76 a gallon. At least I am warm now.

I meaned that I am trying to cash in on two mutual funds and 4 different stock holdings. Things have been smooth except for the stock, Tim Hortons. Yesterday, I finally got to talk to a real person who told me that I cannot cash out of Tim Hortons unless I use a broker. I have no broker. This is a small town.
I am trying to see if Edward Jones can transfer my shares into my account here locally, so I can sell.
I am not very happy with Tim Hortons right now.

I went to the doctor in Gainesville on Wednesday. I have a large mass in my pelvis area. He convinced me to have surgery to remove it. The operation was set for March 11th, but my heart doctor did not think I should undergo the operation, so I cancelled. I will have another ultra sound next Friday.

37 years ago today, I to see Elvis in person. I have confessed as to how I got front row seats. We are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate. We did not make it out last night cause hubby had to work late.

I got the hospital bill for the Atland hospital yesterday. I spnt 4 days there and the bill was $70,000 dollars. I have not gotten the local hospital bill here yet; that was for 3 days.

Well, my first time EVER in the hospital. They determined that I had a stroke and a mild heart attack. I am behind of the $20 challenge!

We had to buy a new refrigerator this week. My freezer quit working and it was leaking. I guess that will be my christmas present this year. This is my 3rd refrigerator in 17 years. They sure don't make them like they use to!!

I think it was the first time in over 20 years. It was totally my fault, so I will pay the fee. The guy we are building for gave me a check last week, but i did not put it in the bank til yesterday. Boy, do I feel stupid!

Today would have been my daughter's 44th birthday. She died in July.
My birthday was yesterday. I remember the lawyer calling me on my birthday saying that my baby was on the way. (She was adopted at birth) She was born at 2 the next morning and I had to go and quit my job the next day. That was an exciting time!
No body in my family has lived to a ripe old age. If I make it one more year, I will be the oldest! I have no living family except for my hubby and puppies!