Monday, May 20th, 2013

Another good night’s sleep!

Got up a little earlier than usual, did my yoga exercises, took my shower, then had my coffee while reading the Chicago Sun-Times.

Took cash out of the ATM and then paid my electric, gas, sewer/water bill for 139,586 ($77.55) and my TV, phone, and internet bill for 86,351 ($47.97) at Exito.

I then bought another box of Fitness cereal for 14,440 ($8.02).  The last box I bought had a free DVD included that I just threw away.  This time it included a free 955ml box of milk so I save almost 2mil not having to buy milk today.  (Every mil counts this month.)

Cereal with free milk

As I was leaving Viva Mall I heard what sounded like an exercise class down the other hallway.  I went and checked it out and sure enough at 8:45 on Monday morning they were having a small (maybe 12 people) exercise class.  Now I have to pay attention and see if it’s going on other mornings at this time.

After breakfast I spent some time recreating my budget for June on Excel.   

Then I called the Sears Retiree Service Center using Magic Jack on my iPad while sitting on the porch so as not to have the echo problem I had last Friday.  The microphone  and speaker are on the top and bottom, respectively, of the back of the iPad so I had to dial from the front and then talk and listen from the back.  After 18 minutes I was able to get my address corrected and the only thing the lady could tell me about the reason why my benefit was reduced 30% was because it had been taken out for some tax.  I asked her if it was a federal tax and she said “no, it just says NRA”.  (I hope I’m not supporting the NRA!)  She said she would forward the question to the payroll department and since I don’t have a telephone they would send me an answer in the mail.  Probably another 7 weeks before I get my answer.  Well, at least I’ve pursued the problem and either I will get a correction in a future payment or at least an answer in the mail.

I just checked Wikipedia.org and found NRA can stand for “Non-resident Alien, a tax status for foreigners”.  Maybe they mistakenly think I’m a foreigner?  If I don’t get the correct amount next month I think I’ll be calling them back.

On the way to lunch a man was passing out flyers for Sarku.  Besides their usual 9,900 lunch special (which is exactly what I had) another specified their other main courses.  It also listed their drink offerings; besides the usual sodas they also offer regular lemonade (4,400; $2.44), peppermint lemonade (4,400; $2.44), and coconut lemonade (4,700; $2.62).  So I could get a Subway sandwich (7000; $3.89) and a lemonade from Sarku.  Or I could get a Subway sandwich and take it across the street to Laureles Mall and have it with a juice there.

Just after 2pm I heard thunder nearby.  But it never developed into anything – at least not here.

I may have gotten past my echo problem with Rosetta Stone.  I closed the curtains right in front of me and I look at them when I speak instead of the computer screen.  It seems to make a big difference in the pronunciation sensitivity.

The ants seem to have disappeared from the laundry room.  Either we’re waiting for a new nest of eggs to hatch or I have finally removed their food source.  However, I do see the little critters on my kitchen table.  I put down a little Farina there so we’ll see if that helps over the next few days.

4:30 I was starving so I had a bowl of cereal.  I think I still have enough milk left for tomorrow morning.

Rosetta Stone works sometimes and other times it can’t even hear me.  Hopefully it will work better when I get the “required” USB headset & microphone.