#7: All Hallow's Eve

Thursday October 30, 2014

All Hallow’s Eve

Twas The Night Before Halloween …

It’s dark, it’s rainy, and it is soon to be Halloween.  What shall I wear to work tomorrow?  I don’t think I have anything outrageous in my wardrobe anymore!  I think it will be a casual day though.  I’m tired of wearing heels; mostly because the heels of the shoes have stretched from having been barefoot, and now that it is cool enough to warranty wearing pantyhose, my feet slide about.  I must get some of the inner shoe pads that a colleague told me about.

Anyway, flat shoes tomorrow with casual pants.

The big task that lays before me this weekend relates to my vehicle.  It is time for winter tires and a maintenance call at the mechanics.  The car is requiring a bit of attention lately.  The constant slow oil leak developed into a series of rather large blobs.  The gasket was replaced and some silicone was applied.  It still might need a new oil pan.

Then, the more frequently-occurring brief lapses of power seem to indicate a need for new spark plugs.  It could also be something else but that should be the first step.  Tomorrow I shall acquire 4 new spark plugs and a spark plug wrench (yes, I know that a special tool is needed!), along with Sea Foam that was recommended by the Dealership’s mechanic, so that I can tend to the car on Saturday morning before getting my hair cut.  Or maybe I’ll hit the car wrecker’s first to see if he has any half-decent winter tires in his inventory since he closes at noon on Saturdays; then get my hair cut; then change the spark plugs.

Last, but not least, I will schedule a maintenance appointment for next week at the mechanic where the previous buyer took the car.  I don’t know if I should ask if this can be done at our Dealership’s shp or not.  I think I’ll play it safe and take it to a neutral establishment.

No soccer games to watch this weekend.  Both games are away.  So I have plenty of time to do what I wish to do, or rather need to do.

Having to tend to my own vehicle, and the added expense, is new to me.  We always worked on our own vehicles, or rather my husband did.  I learned a lot about engines and whatnot being the assistant.  I know my way around a tool box.  Now I must take care of such things myself.  I’m not worried.  I can do it.  I even purchased a tire pressure gauge and will look into new windshield wipers tomorrow.  Must keep the Honda Honey running like a lean, mean driving machine!  

I laugh at “Honda Honey”, as we used to have a Honda generator on the catamaran, s/v Super Freaky (have I mentioned that our family sailed the Pacific Ocean for seven years?).  I called the generator the “Honda Honey”.  We used it basically to watch movies on the laptop.  Whenever the weather turned nasty when we were near a town, we would find the nearest movie rental place (such establishments still existed back in the earlier 2000’s), and hole up in our double bunk and watch movie after movie.  The poor kids had to nestle together in the closet area next to the bunk to be able to see the screen!  We would take breaks every so often so that the kids could stretch their legs and we could all cool down as it got quite warm in that bunk with the laptop running and five people close together in a small space.  Good memories.

I find myself chuckling even more than usual when I think of Super Freaky.  I was googling all sorts of inane subjects the other day and came upon a news article about a crew of 5 on a catamaran that had to be rescued by the Coast Guard somewhere in the Philippines.  I couldn’t believe it.  There was our boat!  The crew looked totally inept.  The boat didn’t look in bad shape but certainly did not look like she did when we sailed her.  The article said they had run into “rudder troubles” in big seas.  That was always the biggest weakness of that catamaran:  its rudders.  I can’t remember how many times we arrived somewhere steering with only one (of two) rudders.

Our 22-day crossing to Hawaii from BC had us one rudder for more than half of the passage.  Our 16-day sail from Hawaii to Majuro had us steering on one rudder for more than half of the passage.  My husband performed an upside-down, 2-hour “rudder surgery” under a full moon during our 10-day passage to Guam.  Our 5-day sail from Majuro to Kosrae had us arrive in port with NO need of any repairs.  We didn’t know what to do with ourselves!

We became masters with Numbers 10 and 13 crescent wrenches, and at handling epoxy and fibreglass.  The brutal truth of being a sailor is that there is always something to be fixed on a boat.  If there isn’t, then you are probably not sailing it properly!

I started a new book today.  I went to the library a couple of weeks ago and checked out at least half a dozen books on Money Management, especially from a woman’s perspective.  At lunch today, while reading in front of the fireplace at work, I learned to repeat the following for the next 30 days:

TODAY I DECIDE TO BE WEALTHY.

Yes, it is time to start thinking of money management.  The truth of the matter is that as of October 1st, I became legally bankrupt.  For the next nine months, I must pay a monthly fee to a Public Trustee, report all my income and expenses, attend two credit counselling courses, and live with this on my credit history for 6 years.  My pride is not on the line here.  I am relieve to get this tended to.  But while I must account for all the money in and out of my account, I figure I might as well seriously start thinking of life on a single pay-cheque.  I have one child in University (on scholarship fortunately, but not a total package), and two more most likely heading off to University in two years time.  I have rent to pay, food to buy, teenage-related expenses, team sport expenses, car expenses, dental bills, and undoubtedly unexpected expenses.  Plus, I really want to save a little bit each pay cheque and set it aside.  (Having Vacation Pay deducted from the pay cheque is a great way to force-save for a plane ticket to Toronto in 2015!).

My focus is now on how to best handle my money.

I will work my way through these books (I like research projects), and then be disciplined in my approach to expenditures.  My grandmother was wisely frugal and I learned a lot from her perspective on life.  Time to brush off those values and put them into play again.

I am feeling excited about this new topic.  Again, I want to succeed.  I decide to be wealthy.

I am off to take myself for a walk in the dark rain before the kids need picking up at the soccer field.  Rubber boots and an umbrella go a long way in this climate!

Happy Halloween Everyone.