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Post by Emerald_Door on Feb 4, 2024 13:12:22 GMT
It's chilly here in NC this morning. I hope everyone has a good week.
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Post by Desire on Feb 4, 2024 17:56:49 GMT
Such a pretty picture of the bluebird, Emerald. For some reason, we never get those bluebirds any longer at our feeders. We just get those big nasty blue-jays that like to tip over the seed trays, kick-out all the seed, and scare all the other birds off when they swoop in and flutter their wings. But as big as the blue-jays are, they are also skittish and easily frightened. I slightly knock on the window and they take off so fast. Other birds will sit and feed no matter what noise there is. We had a lot of red-winged blackbirds this past month, the first time. They are black with red and yellow patches on their wings.
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 4, 2024 17:58:33 GMT
It's sunny and 50 degrees here. I was going to wash my car, but my chemo on Friday kicked my butt. So I am staying in. I just looked through what my daughter and grandson brought over from when he cleaned out his toys. Literally and honestly, 100's upon 100's of WWE figures, animals, vehicles, Nerf guns. Not to mention about 100 clothing items. My garage is full. And my pest guy will be coming to spray for bugs, if he can wend his way through all of the mess. And I know that Jaxson still has 100's of stuffed animals yet to bring. Once I get any of them listed, I have no place to store them.
And as far as donating them, Jaxson wants the money to pay for his basketball, football and baseball equipment and fees. And also for a college fund.
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kritter
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Post by kritter on Feb 4, 2024 18:27:18 GMT
Why don't he and his mother set up a Marketplace account and they store/sell his stuff instead of dumping it all on you? Wasn't she the Queen of Roadside Scavengers at one time and then reselling on MP?
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 4, 2024 18:38:18 GMT
Why don't he and his mother set up a Marketplace account and they store/sell his stuff instead of dumping it all on you? Wasn't she the Queen of Roadside Scavengers at one time and then reselling on MP? She was a picker, got tired of that and then got into estate sales. She did very well selling on MP, too. But now with sports every night and weekends, she doesn't have the time or desire to continue with the sales.
Her fiance helped with the sales, when he had an 8-5 job. But now he has a big construction company and is now working 7am-9pm ish.
After my daughter arrives home, she has hours of paperwork to do, and then while Jaxson is practicing for whatever sport, she works out in the gym. I don't know how she finds the energy.
I asked for the toys, and I knew that he had a lot, but geesh. And, of course, I can always use the money since we go 50/50. At least I know that I will never, ever have to go thrifting anymore. But I really do miss it.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 4, 2024 19:11:27 GMT
Had some excitement here last night - someone tried to steal my car. They also tried to steal another car over by building 8 (I'm in building 6). The joke was on the thief/theives. They tried to steal two older model Hyundai Velosters, ones that do NOT have the electronic immoblizer issue. The older model velosters can't be hotwired. The model didn't change all that much over the years so it's probably hard to tell what year model you're attempting to steal Cops were already here for the other theft, which makes me think it was sometime between dark and 8:00-8:30 pm, as my neighbors notified me about 8:45 and the cops had already arrived for the other car. My neighbor noticed the dashboard lights were on and thought it looked strange since I wasn't sitting in the car. Then they noticed the broken glass so they knocked on my door. Cops took pics and prints and I filed my claim online with my insurance. I just recently raised all of my deductibles to lower my premiums as USAA has really jacked up their prices. Fortunately I didn't raise the comprehensive so I'm only out $500 for the deductible. Whew. On the bright side, when I adjusted my policy, I also upgraded from a compact rental car to a standard rental car. I do wonder, though, why my car alarm didn't go off and why the neighboring dogs didn't bark. It wouldn't surprise me if there were more cars vandalized last night. And I wonder WTH the security service was that the apartment management pays for? Gorgeous day outside. Sunny and low 70s, but really windy. I have chili in the crock pot and it's starting to smell really good.
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 4, 2024 19:39:13 GMT
Wow Val! I'm glad that they didn't take it! I would inquire about the lack of an alarm.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 4, 2024 20:18:02 GMT
Hmnn. It appears most car alarms do not go off when a window is broken. You have to get an aftermarket shock sensor installed for that. A few newer model Fords and Volvos do have that feature. Guess I'll ask about it when I eventually trade this car in.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 4, 2024 20:19:08 GMT
And as far as donating them, Jaxson wants the money to pay for his basketball, football and baseball equipment and fees. And also for a college fund.
Maybe it's time for you or mom to teach Jaxson how to sell online.
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 4, 2024 21:56:59 GMT
And as far as donating them, Jaxson wants the money to pay for his basketball, football and baseball equipment and fees. And also for a college fund.
Maybe it's time for you or mom to teach Jaxson how to sell online. Well, Jaxson is too young to have an account. When I kick off and they move into my house, it will all be here for him to take over, if he is of age then.
But I can't see him sitting at this computer for any length of time. He prefers to be active....constantly. He isn't the typical kid who plays video games all day long.
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Post by labbypaws on Feb 5, 2024 1:14:57 GMT
Wow Val, sorry to hear about your car.
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Post by jesmelric on Feb 5, 2024 18:49:17 GMT
Hi, guys. Wow Val that really sucks about your car They have broken into DH's work van many times, stole it completely once. Those vans with tools are a constant target. He keeps a club on the steering wheel now, anything for a deterrent.
Well my sister got in a bad car accident on her way over to my house on Saturday afternoon. She was going through an intersection and a guy blew through a red light at a high rate of speed and t-boned her. She flew into three other cars and a metro bus. She has a fractured vertebrae in her neck but thankfully she doesn't need surgery, but will have to wear a neck brace for 2 to 4 weeks. She's banged up and bruised and has a mild concussion as well. Her car (an old Tahoe) was totaled. She's been in the hospital and will be released this afternoon. Her kids are taking shifts to stay with her and help her through the weekend. She was taken to the hospital before she even got to talk to the police. They are trying to get information now, we don't even know if the guy had insurance. My youngest DD had something similar happen to her a few years back and her advice is get a lawyer. They work on contingency and she said they won't take the case if there's no insurance but they can find out pretty fast if he had it or not. There was a blurb in the local news (probably because a metro was involved) and it just said a car hit several other cars and a bus. She's not even gotten a police report or anything. Right after it happened a woman from one of the other cars got out and started screaming and cursing at her and asking if she was drunk! My sister hasn't had a drink since 1992! She said the guy in the red suv ran the light and hit me and the lady ran over there and started screaming at him! She heard someone on the bus say he was on his phone, hopefully they talked to the police. It's been pretty overwhelming for her so any good thoughts/prayers are appreciated. We are glad it wasn't worse, and praying the guy had insurance.
I think Janey has an upset stomach or something, she's acting a little weird this afternoon. Instead of sleeping she's just laying there looking around. She has an appetite and drank her water, too, so I don't know. It's making me nervous
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 5, 2024 19:27:56 GMT
(((((jes)))))) I hope your sister will get well soon, and hopefully the other driver had insurance.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 5, 2024 21:44:38 GMT
Looks like the car thieves were back here again last night. The apartment office sent out this email to residents today:
A resident witnessed a male sitting on a motor cycle by the tennis courts, the resident thought this person looked suspicious so they set off their car alarm and shined a flashlight into the parking lot which spooked another male that was attempting to steal a vehicle. Both males took off on the motor cycle.
The management supposedly pays for a security service but I have my doubts as to how often - if at all - the service patrols the complex. My next door neighbors said they've observed cars sitting at the closed gate, waiting for another resident to come up and open the gate, with the security service parked by the office but not bothering to enter and follow the car that was waiting, to make sure it belonged to a tenant. Said they've noticed this more than once. I suggested they email the office.
I googled property crime stats and found out SA is considerably higher than both the national average and the state average. Guess that explains why my insurance keeps going up, and up, and up.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 5, 2024 22:53:29 GMT
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kritter
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Post by kritter on Feb 5, 2024 23:00:08 GMT
Car insurance rates are up by double digits and drivers may not see relief anytime soon. According to the government’s latest consumer price index release, the cost of auto insurance soared 17.8% from July 2022 to July of this year. Drivers currently pay an average of $1,668 for their car insurance policy, according to the online insurance agency Insurify. New Mexico, Nevada and New Jersey are seeing the highest annual rate increases in 2024, with prices soaring by 38%, 36% and 34% respectively. Experts point to four main reasons for the spike in car insurance rates: Costs associated with driving are higher. More cars are on the road—which means more accidents. Auto theft has surged. As catastrophic weather events multiply, there’s an uptick in the number of damaged and totaled cars. The cost of vehicle maintenance and repair has jumped by 12.7% year over year, according to the consumer price index report. “The cost to repair is much higher than ever due to the many technological and safety advancements that have been made,” says San Antonio personal injury lawyer George Salinas. “Even something as simple as a bumper can have a combination of sensors or other parts that get expensive really quickly.” www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/car-insurance-costs-rise/
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 5, 2024 23:35:18 GMT
(((Jes' sister))) TG that she wasn't injured worse! She should definitely see a lawyer. Does she have full torte?
Val-that is ridiculous! Wonder if you should also get a club?
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 5, 2024 23:36:10 GMT
Texas is actually the 6th highest insurance cost in the country: www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/rates-by-state/OTOH, it appears that my insurance company has gone from one of the better priced companies to one of the higher priced companies. I'm not in love with the company and I don't drive enough miles anymore to justify paying a high premium I'm in a good neighborhood overall, but if the car vandalism keeps up at my complex and the complexes on either side of mine, it might be worth moving to Kritter's neighborhood: 3. Crime rates Auto insurers typically use a person’s address to gather crime reports from local police to evaluate the risks in an area. Locations that experience a high incidence of theft and vandalism are likely to have higher claim rates as well. This makes car insurance in an area more costly.
And because insurers base their pricing on collective risk, rate increases apply even to residents who haven’t fallen victim to a crime. In layman’s terms, if you live in a bad neighborhood, your neighbors could file more claims, also affecting how much premiums you pay. Personally, I think it's all a racket. My long term goal is move somewhere again where I can just ditch the car.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 5, 2024 23:51:36 GMT
For anyone who doesn't drive many miles during the year - did you know you can get pay as you go car insurance in many states? Cool. I didn't know that!
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kritter
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Post by kritter on Feb 6, 2024 0:34:51 GMT
They are working on that duplex across the street from my house and it has a GARAGE.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 6, 2024 1:02:17 GMT
If it's up for rent January 2025, I'll consider it LOL. I have a lease where I am thru January 2025. The previous tenants must have been there for a long time or did some damage if they're working on the property Wonder how high the rent will increase?
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kritter
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Post by kritter on Feb 6, 2024 1:28:39 GMT
I think it was due for an overhaul like painting, rug cleaning , stuff like that. The other side had the same thing done when that last tenant left.
They were also doing some stuff on the front but I didn't really pay attention. I just saw some workmen out there.
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Post by chapeaunoir on Feb 6, 2024 8:31:12 GMT
((( jesmelric's sister))) I'm glad she wasn't worse hurt and hope she recovers quickly!
Put in some applications for more video work - I'm going to try to get sustained contracting work for now and see how that goes. It's a bit more of a hustle than a W2 job, which was something I was thinking I wouldn't mind leaving behind, but then again I'm used to hustling for work so it won't make that much of a difference. We'll see how it goes.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 6, 2024 16:15:55 GMT
Keep in mind, Chap, that you have a LOT of tax deductions with a contract job that you cannot take with a W2 job.
Sunny and 67 on tap for today.
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Post by jesmelric on Feb 6, 2024 18:26:48 GMT
Hi, guys. I haven't talked to my sister today. I know she might not feel up to it, plus they are trying to find an attorney, see if the guy had insurance, find out if there's some kind of case or something, are the police even going to speak to her about the accident? So I don't want to bother her and make her feel she has to respond to me if she's not up to it and/or otherwise occupied. I'm sure if there were any issues her kids would put it in the group text.
It is a lovely day here with blue skies and a high of 70 Janey loves it. It was fairly chilly this morning when we went out, but it has warmed up quickly.
Denise I hope you have good luck selling your grandson's stuff for him. When youngest DD was a young teen we sold some of her stuff on eBay: some old pokemon and digimon figures, some old Lion King figures and playset, polly pocket sets, some old Littlest Pet shop stuff, and she did pretty good! She was happy to have the money. Then she got her first job at 16 and never looked back lol.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 6, 2024 19:18:09 GMT
I am definitely changing insurance companies when the current policy is over. I've spent hours on the phone this morning trying to everything set up to fix my car. The USAA rep was useless and gave me bad info. Fortunately the rep at the Hyundai dealership and a collision repair shop by my house were very helpful. With a little time on Google, I was able to figure out what I needed to do and sent the info to USAA. The tow truck is due here in an hour or two. Worst experience I've had with USAA. I've had damage claims before and the USAA reps were always helpful. The last claim was back in 2021. I don't know if it's because I'm dealing with a different department (vehicle theft vs collision damage) at USAA or if their service has gone downhill overall. I did find reviews at Consumer Reports and the majority of the reviews in the past 6-8 months are BAD.
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Post by denise15601 on Feb 6, 2024 22:15:24 GMT
@jes... Thanks! My pest spraying guy is coming on Friday and I already warned him. He has a grandson a little younger than mine, so I hope to unload a few of the enormous Nerf guns on him. Why in the world would any boy want so many toys? Of course, I remember buying a lot of them for him. And he did buy a lot at yard sales. But geesh....
@val.... Do you know which companies have that car insurance special? I am kind of stuck with my company since I have an oil tank in the ground. I had called other companies for quotes, but they won't insure a house with an underground tank. And my car & house policies are combined.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 6, 2024 22:56:28 GMT
@val.... Do you know which companies have that car insurance special? I am kind of stuck with my company since I have an oil tank in the ground. I had called other companies for quotes, but they won't insure a house with an underground tank. And my car & house policies are combined. Just google "pay as you go car insurance" and your state. It might be cheaper to unbundle.
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Post by labbypaws on Feb 7, 2024 0:40:03 GMT
I am definitely changing insurance companies when the current policy is over. I've spent hours on the phone this morning trying to everything set up to fix my car. The USAA rep was useless and gave me bad info. Fortunately the rep at the Hyundai dealership and a collision repair shop by my house were very helpful. With a little time on Google, I was able to figure out what I needed to do and sent the info to USAA. The tow truck is due here in an hour or two. Worst experience I've had with USAA. I've had damage claims before and the USAA reps were always helpful. The last claim was back in 2021. I don't know if it's because I'm dealing with a different department (vehicle theft vs collision damage) at USAA or if their service has gone downhill overall. I did find reviews at Consumer Reports and the majority of the reviews in the past 6-8 months are BAD. My husband does work for USAA (and other insurance companies) and he says they have gone down as far as homeowners goes.
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val2525
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Post by val2525 on Feb 7, 2024 2:04:13 GMT
I can believe it.
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