Looking for a Tornado Shelter

We have wanted a tornado shelter for awhile and hubby has been checking into it occasionally for a couple of years.  He said on a Friday night, "We need to make this a priority this year."  The next night a tornado hit our town.  Luckily, it was about 5 miles east of us and we didn't get any damage.  Many friends and their families lost their homes or they were damaged. The hunt for a tornado shelter became a priority.  First one to come to the house was American Tornado Masters.  He asked if we knew anything about tornado shelters and Jim said he had looked online and that I hadn't looked at any or any information on anyone.  We figured out about where we could put one underground and then came in the house for the "talk".  I was really impressed with the product and the salesman seemed to be seriously agitated that I didn't want to immediately buy the shelter RIGHT NOW.  He finally gave us the price, approximately $14K. I figured we would spend around $7K.  The salesman was pretty much insulted that I didn't want to spend the other $7K to save my life.  I told him that I never buy anything, especially a big ticket item unless I sleep on it and think about it.  I want to know that I made the right decision and will be happy with it...and I would feel good about it.  Not too long after that he said he had all his stuff together and could be out of our hair.  American Tornado Masters does not have any brochures to leave behind to help you make a decision or remind you of what they say.  He told us his quote would be good for 30 days...however, he didn't leave one here.  I don't know if all of their salesmen are like the one who came to our house.  He used high pressure sales and fear tactics to convince you to buy his product.  I liked the product, but no way would I buy from him.  He reminded us that a tornado hit south of us in Canton a week ago.  We had to tell him, "Yeah, we know, it also hit in our town."  He did not know that a tornado was here a few days ago.  He should have done his homework a bit better.  Another company is coming tomorrow.

Some New Developments

I guess we didn't get left out of the inheritance all together.  Brenda called to see if anyone wanted Dad's Tahoe.  My nephew said he could use it.  So I made arrangements to pick it  up.  I also asked if she had found the gold coins my aunt had asked about.  Brenda went back into her apartment and brought it out to me.  She has told me that some of the places dad had his money invested would be contacting us to settle.  To date we have only been contacted by one. The amount that was paid on that was much smaller than what I would have expected (if nothing had been changed as I had been told).   I understand that with his medical and her medical, it probably ate a bunch up.  I just don't think that if it was split her family her half and then my dad's half being split with her and his family.  They get 3/4 and we get 1/4.  Doesn't sound too fair and equitable, but it may be what has happened.  It is just money.  That is nice to have and can make life easier, but it can also make it harder.  I really wanted the ashes, but that is not going to happen. 

Injustice

It has been a tough year.  It started Christmas Day when I could not get hold of my dad to wish him Merry Christmas.  When his wife finally answered the phone she told me for three days he was asleep.  He had fallen and they went to the hospital, but he was out now and he sleeps all the time.  The third day, I told her I would just see what I needed to do to wake him up. She called me back later and told me that she had put him in the nursing home.  Of all days...on Christmas.  I went to go see him the next day.  Apparently the fall that he had taken that put him there was caused by (in his words), the "kids" were pushing me too fast and hit a bump and I flew out of the wheelchair.  His 2nd vertebra was cracked.  He fell the next day in the nursing home and broke his clavicle. Although my sister and I had a power of attorney, his wife told us there was new on.  We found out later that it was a fraudulent document, but it was too late to do anything. The care in the nursing home was not good and they did not care for him.  His health declined to where he could not get out of the bed and he did not have use of his arms, so he could not get a drink of water and they did not give him enough to drink.  He also cut way back on eating.  His wife being the great woman she was, kept taking him alcohol to drink in the home so he could not take his medication.  He "coded" at the nursing home and the hospital did miracles in saving his life. He was on a breathing machine and if they took it out, he was not strong enough to breathe on his own and would die.  He told the doctor that he understood if it was removed that he would die and he said that was what he wanted.  We asked the doctor to wait until his wife and her family got there, so we would disconnect him in the afternoon.  As soon as they did, she said "Well now that that is done, let's go eat."  She turned and walked out of the room and kept getting mad because her family was not following her. My sister and I and our husbands stayed with dad until the end.  He passed away on January 28, 2016.  I took a picture and you can see his spirit leaving his body.  While he was in the hospital is when we discovered that the documents that had been given to all of his healthcare providers appeared to be fraudulent document.  It did not look like his signature and his name is not spelled correctly.  That sent the legal department in a tizzy.  We discovered that she had him declared mentally incompetent on August 24, 2015 and changed all his beneficiaries that same day so that she would get 100% instead of the 50% he had designated.  The attorneys we spoke with said that we would have to sue Fidelity and you know that wouldn't work.  So we didn't file a lawsuit to get any money.
She had also convinced dad to have his body go to medical research and it would be cremated.  Okay. When they were through, they would send it to her and she and her family promised they would let us know so we could have the ashes.  As luck goes, she got a brain tumor and had surgery in March. She survived the surgery, but it was malignant.  She passed away about 3 weeks ago.  I found out today that they are going to have a memorial for her on his birthday and that since they did  not pick up the certified mail or respond to the attempts that the medical center had made to get the ashes to them, they threw them in a garden. None of my fathers last requests were ever granted.  My family does not get any inheiretance.  We have spoken to several attorneys and there does not appear to be anything we can do.  I at least wanted his ashes to put them where he requested, but now that won't happen.

We have Sausage!!

Jim got a deer last weekend.  We have kept it on ice all week.  Since Thursday night, we have been planning on processing it.  Thursday, I was to get some fat back to use.  The meat market had given it all away earlier, so I bought pork butt.  We were too tired to do it and wanted fat back.  So, I went to the market Friday after I got off of work...he had just finished cleaning up for the day and threw it all away in the dumpster.  By now, he knew I was really wanting some fat back, so he said he would keep it for me the next day. I picked it up and we got started late afternoon on Saturday.  It took 3-4 hours, but so far we have put up 12 pounds of breakfast sausage.  We are still fairly new at processing our own deer, so we looked for some new recipes.  Last year we used the one that came with our meat grinder.  We found two different ones to try this year.  One has ginger and nutmeg in it.  I was not sure about that, but we cooked some and ate it.  Sure is good.  The other recipe has sage and garlic in it along with lots of pepper; crushed red, cayenne, and black.  We labeled the packages as #1 or #2 to know which we are eating. We are tired!!  Jim doesn't feel well either.  We still have several pounds of meat left in refrigerator to do tomorrow.  We are just going to grind up and add some fat back. We love venison burgers! We also took the backstrap and made stew meat for shishkabobs.  We marinate it overnight with the McCormick's Backyard Tea Brew and it is tender and full of flavor.  I am now tired and taking it easy to prepare for a busy day tomorrow.

Change is Good, Right?

I have a new computer and I am playing on it.  I'm now on Windows 10.  I know several do not like the Window's 10, but so far I can't complain.  I don't know it, but I am learning.  Also I am giving Microsoft Edge a try.  I think there are some improvements...just need to play around a bit and experience it.  I always feel that people need to give new things a try; although, I am not much for change.  I usually dig my heels in.  I still quilt, but I have to fit it in on my schedule.  I am taking a break from doing much machine quilting and spending it on working on the house.  We are remodeling and trying to update and fix the house.  So far the house has been leveled and windows ordered.  The windows are now ready and will be installed in a few da'.s.  I have ordered my new stove and talked to the plumber and cabinet builder.  The cabinet guy will come this weekend and we will go over details and get it all settled down so he can begin doing his thing.  Things are changing and fast.  Can't believe the year and flown by so fast and will be gone in less than 5 weeks. Keep stitchin.

Hello

I don't post too often.  One reason is that my computer is way too slow and I find that it is too activating.  I have anew Kindle and I love it.   I am trying posting from it. I should be able to post easier.  I went on another cruise...same area, different time of year.  We went I November.  It was great!  It is cold here today and I am tired.  Taking it easy.  I have several quilts that I am working on right now.  Three applique quilts; log cabin baskets, a Christmas quilt, and the autumn Baltimore.  There is only one client's quilt here now...I need to stitch down the binding.  It's Sunday and I feel like a nap before church.  Maybe I'll post before another year.

I'M BACK

I know I haven't posted in a LONG time.  I have been busy, too tired, internet too slow, etc., but I can't help myself.  When I read some other blogs, I get soooo inspired and want to share.  So, I am going to give it another go.  I read Facebook and don't like to post there.  I like the blog better...just feels more intimate and close.  It is hard to find time to post, but I am going to work on getting on a different time schedule here at the house and a different routine.  I will just have to fit in the blog post.  It is easy right now, because Jim went out hunting and I have the house (internet) to myself so it is not as slow.

I have been spending some time cleaning out closets and cubby holes, moving furniture around and it seem that right now, my house is in a bigger mess than when I started.  This weekend I am concentrating on cleaning up the mess.  And trying to get it a bit more organized.  My main complaint is that I can't find what I know I have so that I can use it and I don't want to go out and buy another because I have one somewhere.  I am making a little bit of a headway.  I am also trying to remember the rule:  If you haven't used it in the past 24 months (gotta give myself some time there), it should leave the house.  Note:  That rule does not apply to fabric and books.  I will get around to using them at some point and I have been good about  not bringing new ones in to the house in several months.  I have had a book The House That Cleans Itself at least for a year and found it while cleaning.  I started reading it last night.  I am going to put a few practices in place.  One suggestion was that we all have one place in the house that is our home base zone.  Each person needs to recognize where that is for them.  It could be the kitchen sink, the upstairs bathroom, your clothes closet, or any place that you find hard to get in to clean, but when it is done you are at total peace and all is right.  I know that mine is my quilt studio.  Not that many people go there, but when I have company over, I feel that I have to get it clean and spotless.  I find it hard to go work there (quilt or sew) if the room is in a mess and have to spend time to clean it up before I get started.  So the one main area I am cleaning today is my studio.  I have a gentleman that is to bring over a quilt top of one of his friends for me to see what I can do with it to get it finished.  I also need to work on some quick gift ideas for the meeting program Monday night.  So I need to get my space clean to work and mess it up again.  But the idea of your home base zone is that you make yourself keep it clean so you always feel that you have accomplished something.  I will take pics today and upload so you can see what I have been up to for the past....ummm 2-3 months.

Happy Sewing,
Cindy