Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Month Past 09/01-09/30/08 (Financial Crisis,Arizona)
Mon 09/01 is Labor Day. I remember my first year in the Yu Hes Ey. I was befuddled that Labor Day is celebrated on Sept 1. If you've been celebrating Labor Day every 1st day of May for forty five years you'll have the impression that it was observed internationally on the same date. Anyways I had my day off and so did W. So off we went to Menard's to shop for garden materials like the pavers. W noticed that the garden solar lights she had her eyes on have been given additional discount thereby convincing me that we purchase it lest next time we come back it'll be gone. A dutiful spouse that I'am I said ok. Had lunch at King's Buffet then headed home to install the lights and pavers.
Thu 09/04 I did another "honeydue" task. Assembled the lounge chair for the three season porch. A friend who frequents the Mystic Lake casino gave us a $0.25 per gallon gas coupon discount that would expire the following day. There were about 5 coupons and the gas station was just at the end of our street. So W gave the other coupons to our neighbors. Funny thing is I decided to gas up early evening and while doing so an old Asian woman at the opposite pump approached me and gave me another coupon. I thanked her for it. I guess the promo was only good until the following day and those with extra coupons still in their hands were giving it away. With the price of gasoline we'll take whatever discount we can get. Alas I just had to throw it.
Sun 09/07 W and I worked on my side of "garden project". It would be our last garden work for this year. I was not able to finish my side as I still really can't envision how I want it to look. Just set the pavers and see what happens. Now that most plants are on sale W's been asking me if I want this or that plant to be on the garden. And I say okay or whatever if it's really cheap. We'll see how it turns out.
Sun 09/14 after mass we had brunch at Applebee's then to Home Depot and bought their patio chairs and table set for a bargain and a fire stand at Lowe's for a discount.
Wed 09/17 is not a good day for the economy. It has been so for the past days. But all that news about Lehman's Bear Stearns and bailouts of AIG, Freddie Mac, Fanny Mae brings with it a doom and gloom scenario. You just keep on wishing that everything will be fine before it hits you where it hurts. Then Mon 9/29 it happened. Stocks plummeted. My 401K took a big hit. Think about those retirees. We were still in Arizona vacationing when I saw the news on TV.
Sat 09/20 because I had to work Sun and I'm not getting off work until 6:00 Sat I checked on the yellow pages the churches' mass schedule near our place. Lo and behold I found one that has an anticipated mass at 7:00 pm. So I called W and told her I'll pick her up after work to catch the mass atThe Church of St Mary of the Purification at Shakopee. It's a small church in a small community. About fifteen minutes drive from our house. As fate would have it the priest couldn't make it that night so the lay minister presided over the mass sans homily. Prior to the mass when he announced that the priest won't be able to make it he explained that he is authorized to conduct the ceremony. But if any member in the congregation feels that they would rather have a priest preside over the mass they are free to leave to attend mass the following day. Nobody took the offer. We were such a small group, maybe 30 to 40 people. Mostly old couples like us??? I can't believe it....we are now them becoming senior citizen!
Highlight for this month is our vacation trip to Arizona. Went to the Grand Canyon and other interesting places. We left Fri 09/26 at 11:15 am and arrived 12:32 pm in Phoenix. We are ahead by an hour in MN. We departed Tue 09/30. W and I took separate flights on our way back since she's going straight to Arkansas from MSP Airport. Ryan her staff was kind enough to pick me up at the airport. Since he also dropped us off at the airport I had my car parked in his apartment. I can't believe I drove a total of 1,000 miles from the airport and back when we returned the rental car.
Thu 09/25, day before we left for Arizona, I mowed the lawn maybe for the last time this year before the cold weather really sets in. I noticed this red clump on one of the fallen branches at the side of lawn. Looking at it closer it was a cluster of red insects. Creepy but interesting. I took a pic of it and so with our green backyard before it goes bare this winter.
Thu 09/04 I did another "honeydue" task. Assembled the lounge chair for the three season porch. A friend who frequents the Mystic Lake casino gave us a $0.25 per gallon gas coupon discount that would expire the following day. There were about 5 coupons and the gas station was just at the end of our street. So W gave the other coupons to our neighbors. Funny thing is I decided to gas up early evening and while doing so an old Asian woman at the opposite pump approached me and gave me another coupon. I thanked her for it. I guess the promo was only good until the following day and those with extra coupons still in their hands were giving it away. With the price of gasoline we'll take whatever discount we can get. Alas I just had to throw it.
Sun 09/07 W and I worked on my side of "garden project". It would be our last garden work for this year. I was not able to finish my side as I still really can't envision how I want it to look. Just set the pavers and see what happens. Now that most plants are on sale W's been asking me if I want this or that plant to be on the garden. And I say okay or whatever if it's really cheap. We'll see how it turns out.
Sun 09/14 after mass we had brunch at
Wed 09/17 is not a good day for the economy. It has been so for the past days. But all that news about Lehman's Bear Stearns and bailouts of AIG, Freddie Mac, Fanny Mae brings with it a doom and gloom scenario. You just keep on wishing that everything will be fine before it hits you where it hurts. Then Mon 9/29 it happened. Stocks plummeted. My 401K took a big hit. Think about those retirees. We were still in Arizona vacationing when I saw the news on TV.
Sat 09/20 because I had to work Sun and I'm not getting off work until 6:00 Sat I checked on the yellow pages the churches' mass schedule near our place. Lo and behold I found one that has an anticipated mass at 7:00 pm. So I called W and told her I'll pick her up after work to catch the mass at
Highlight for this month is our vacation trip to Arizona. Went to the Grand Canyon and other interesting places. We left Fri 09/26 at 11:15 am and arrived 12:32 pm in Phoenix. We are ahead by an hour in MN. We departed Tue 09/30. W and I took separate flights on our way back since she's going straight to Arkansas from MSP Airport. Ryan her staff was kind enough to pick me up at the airport. Since he also dropped us off at the airport I had my car parked in his apartment. I can't believe I drove a total of 1,000 miles from the airport and back when we returned the rental car.
Thu 09/25, day before we left for Arizona, I mowed the lawn maybe for the last time this year before the cold weather really sets in. I noticed this red clump on one of the fallen branches at the side of lawn. Looking at it closer it was a cluster of red insects. Creepy but interesting. I took a pic of it and so with our green backyard before it goes bare this winter.
