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DoraBora

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Posts posted by DoraBora

  1. I would hire someone to convert the VHS tapes with videos of your son to DVDs -- Legacy Box or a similar business.  I'd offer the VHS tapes themselves to the geneology relatives and friends.  They can convert them or have them converted if they are interested.  Why go to the trouble of converting them if they end up not using them?

    Re: the piano.  Could you put out the word on Next Door or something and ask people if anyone needs a piano? We found a piano teacher who wanted a second piano.  He came and hauled it away.

    Honestly, if you have all of the sentimental stuff out of there, could you call a junk hauling business to come take it away?  We have one around here called College Hunks Hauling Junk.  They will come and clean out an attic, garage, whole house, and donate whatever they can to Habitat or Goodwill (You get the receipts).  Whatever isn't donatable, they will attempt to recycle.  They will take a piano.

    I wouldn't mess with trying to sell stuff on ebay.  It's too much trouble, and it may be that you won't actually clear as great a profit as you think.

    In your shoes, I'd probably just try to finish this process as quickly as possible and get back to my life.

     

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  2. Living abroad may mean he can avoid the late-enrollment penalty -- read the last paragraph of this:

    https://www.medicareinteractive.org/get-answers/medicare-health-coverage-options/medicare-and-living-abroad/how-to-enroll-in-medicare-for-those-who-first-qualify-when-living-abroad

    I think it's a complicated process.  A friend of mine and her husband used a broker when they enrolled.  Here's an article on Medicare brokers from the National Council on Aging.  Your dh may find this to be helpful if he does decide to enroll.

    https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-a-medicare-broker-and-why-should-you-consider-talking-to-one

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  3. 1 hour ago, DoraBora said:

    I haven't read all of the replies.  

    There is something called a half-loaf strategy (I think) that is a last minute pitch to protect assets from Medicaid.  It was legal in many states recently, though no doubt, there's work going on to close this loop hole.  It's a way to protect half of a nest egg from Medicaid.

    That said, just because something is legal doesn't mean it's right.  I agree with those who are warning you off this if you are uncomfortable with it.

    I'm off to look for a law-firm article or explanation.

    It's called a Gift and Loan strategy or Half a Loaf Planning.  The idea is to preserve half of the nest egg for the heirs.  It's legal, and though it doesn't seem particularly ethical to me, I don't that it's much different than planning farther ahead by hiring a lawyer to form a Medicaid Trust. 

    I agree with @Spryte that covering the cost of your own care (as best you can) is a gift to your children.   At her present burn rate, my mom will run out of money in less than a year.

    https://www.recordonline.com/story/news/2020/11/02/bonnie-kraham-gift-and-loan-strategy-can-protect-half-elders-assets/6101331002/

    https://www.trustlaw.com/protecting-half-on-the-nursing-home-doorstep-the.html

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  4. I haven't read all of the replies.  

    There is something called a half-loaf strategy (I think) that is a last minute pitch to protect assets from Medicaid.  It was legal in many states recently, though no doubt, there's work going on to close this loop hole.  It's a way to protect half of a nest egg from Medicaid.

    That said, just because something is legal doesn't mean it's right.  I agree with those who are warning you off this if you are uncomfortable with it.

    I'm off to look for a law-firm article or explanation.

  5. ... and had success with it?  Dd is struggling with nausea and inability to sleep (probably because of nausea) and has tried all the usual super-safe methods.

    If you have had good luck with this combination, or just b6 (or anything), how much worked for you?

    I see reddit threads with people recommended Unisom and B6, but most don't list mgs.

    Thank you in advance.

  6. A Boy Called Christmas

    I read the book (which was also fantastic) to my class and we watched to movie together today.  Maggie Smith appears as an elderly aunt and narrator of the tale.  They enjoyed it so much -- so did I!  They literally clapped and cheered at the end, which was nice because they have such easy access to entertainments of all kinds.

    It's also on Netflix right now.

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  7. 3 hours ago, Soror said:

    Yes, probably!

    I've looked just a bit. I tend towards minimalism so I love the idea but I get paralyzed picking pieces. I need to look into that more. 

    Agree that good underthings are very important...  and I love to keep the number of pieces in my wardrobe low.

    If it's overwhelming to begin, try looking for just one outfit that fits your style - say a pair of leggings or pants that you like (navy, gray, and black are nice because as base colors, they don't show Every.Little.Spot the way beige does), a nice fitted tee or pullover top (short or long sleeved).  Add a third item (open overshirt/vest/scarf/light fitted jacket). 

    Get those first. 

    THEN, when you have that first outfit, look for another top, maybe one with a slightly different silhouette or neckline, that might work as well with the bottoms from the first outfit.  I think the third layer is the factor to adds polish to your outfits.  Even a casual "statement" necklace, such as a pendant, can change up the look.

    If it helps, I've found brands such as Caslon, Madewell, Halogen, Open Edit, Lucky Brand, and Treasure and Bond be the best quality for price.  A few of those brands may be exclusive to Nordstrom.  I've begun buying most clothing from Nordstrom because they have terrific sales and a generous return policy. 

    hth

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  8. None so far.  Dh and I purchased pre-paid tuition through the state of Texas.  Dual credit community college in our county is tuition-free (taxpayer provided), and we encouraged our kids to take advantage of that while they were in high school.

    We covered Dd's undergrad and helped some with grad school.  She and her dh took out a loan to pay her grad school tuition but paid it all off before she graduated.

    Ds is a rising college senior and I *think* we have enough pre-paid credits to cover his tuition through graduation.  It may be close, but we will pay whatever isn't covered.  He plans to take an extra "long" semester and graduate in December of '24 instead of next May, but I think we are good.  He is so sick of engineering school that I can't see him going to grad school anytime soon, lol, but he will need to take out loans and/or find an employer who will help him cover that.

    His room and board is about $1000 a month, all told -- but I went back to work when ds went away to school, which helped us to pay that as he goes.

    I know we are blessed, but we also lived pretty frugally for years, planning ahead with an eye toward seeing our kids through college if they were willing to go.  I don't look down on people who take out loans, but I think they should be used carefully/strategically as mentioned upthread.  

  9. I have stopped bringing work home from my teaching job, and I don't go up to the school building on weekends anymore.  I just focus on thinking ahead and hustling during contract hours.  If something doesn't get done in the 45-ish hours I am at school each week, it's either relatively unimportant, or it can wait.

    Thank you @Indigo Blue for starting this thread.  I'm finding the responses to be thought provoking and encouraging.

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  10. 11 minutes ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle Again said:

    I’ve bent over backwards for my daughter to do her chosen sport. She is wedged between two SN brothers, though they don’t have as high support needs as your boys, they are lovable huge energy sucks.  In my mind, she’s given up enough that’s hard for a kid to understand.  
    I would investigate paying people to drive him, carpools, Uber costs, whatever I needed to do.

    ... including dropping him at driver's house to save the ten or fifteen minutes he'd spend coming to collect ds at your house.

     

     

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  11. My current favorites are the Caslon brand, which are sold (exclusively?) at Nordstrom.  They hold up really well, and are nicely fitted and reasonably priced.  The short sleeved models cover most of my upper arm.

    https://www.nordstrom.com/s/caslon-ballet-neck-cotton-modal-knit-elbow-sleeve-tee-regular-petite/4102790?origin=keywordsearch-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FAll Results&color=413

  12. Supply where I am (Dallas) is fairly reliable, though the case is pretty low at day's end.  I prefer to buy eggs and dairy from Braum's.  Yesterday a dozen "extra large" eggs were $6.69(!).  Braum's cage-free only cost 10 cents more.

    My Tom Thumb (Safeway) has a dozen store brand eggs at $4.69.  

     

  13. Since your doctor thinks you actually have the flu, will he prescribe Tamiflu or some other antiviral?  Do they still do that?

    It's been a few years, but I found that to significantly shorten the duration of symptoms -- and the sooner you get it, the better.

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  14. Texas House Committee Report on law enforcement response to Uvalde school shooting:

    https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/special-reports/uvalde-school-shooting/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-house-committee-report-texas-tribune/287-dfdaebf9-d887-432a-8870-b0709f0cf1ea

    "In total, 376 law enforcement officers — a force larger than the garrison that defended the Alamo — descended upon the school in a chaotic, uncoordinated scene that lasted for more than an hour. The group was devoid of clear leadership, basic communications and sufficient urgency to take down the gunman, the report says."

    "The report also reveals for the first time that the overwhelming majority of responders were federal and state law enforcement: 149 were U.S. Border Patrol, and 91 were state police — whose responsibilities include responding to “mass attacks in public places.” There were 25 Uvalde police officers and 16 sheriff’s deputies. Arredondo’s school police force accounted for five of the officers on the scene. The rest of the force was made up of neighboring county law enforcement, U.S. Marshals, and federal Drug Enforcement Agency officers."

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