Saturday, January 21, 2017

Things I've Learned from Judge Judy

I've been youtube binge watching episodes and clips of Judge Judy shows.  It's not a good thing to do with my time...so I'm trying to find some redeeming value for my many wasted hours.

Turns out there are indeed some good financial lessons on Judge Judy:

1) NEVER EVER CO-SIGN a loan for anything, ever.  If the person can't get credit from professionals, or rent an apartment on their own, or get utilities turned on...whatever...then do not put your own money at risk.  If you cosign, the loan or utility bill or rent or whatever is actually all yours when they can't find the other signer.  So DO NOT CO-SIGN ANYTHING EVER.

2)  DO NOT pay anyone's bail.  They aren't going to pay you back.  They are going to say it's a gift.

3) DO NOT GET A CELL PHONE FOR ANYONE.  Or pay their cable, or any other media/communications type thing.  Just don't.  They will run up the bill and not pay it. 

4) DO NOT LOAN MONEY, and when you do, get a signed note with a specific pay off date.  Never ever let them say "I'll pay you when I can" or "I'll pay you when I have the money."  That just makes you a sucker because they will never be able to or never have the money. 

5) DO NOT SHARE HOUSING WITH ANYONE NOT ON THE LEASE because you are just screwed.

6) DO NOT TAKE ANYONE ON VACATIONS THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR IN ADVANCE.  They will just say that it was a gift and you will be screwed.

7) YOU CANNOT GET MORE THAN A CAR'S BLUE BOOK VALUE IN COMPENSATION FOR AN ACCIDENT.  It does not matter what sort of fancy wheels/stereo/paint job you paid for after market, she's going to award you fair condition blue book value. 

These are all things I knew, but it seems that most people who end up on Judge Judy do not know these things.  And are not going to learn them.

Monday, January 2, 2017

2017! Off to a Good Start

Because I live in a freaking Christmas card...which is funny because I don't even do Christmas, but "Solstice Card" isn't a "meme."


Here is a recent pic:















Cool!  Those are the trees by the creek.

Here is the homesite from the road where I park:














These are the beehives with my white trash windbreak:















I do love pallets.  They are backed with thrift store window blinds that were meant for a different task (not windows though).
You can see I've dug out the wee doorways in the bottom of the hives.  That way the bees have ventilation.  There is another door under the lid that you can't see.  You can see how much snow.  And honestly, that is two snows ago.  The mounds on top are even taller.  Instructions are to leave the snow on as it insulates the hives.  The bees are eating their way up through honey in the 2nd big box.  The top box, which is smaller, is holding dry sugar for them to eat when they run out of honey.  I hope it lasts! I have more sugar and some "bee candy" (basically sugar made into patties) to put in there as soon as the outdoor temp is 50F or higher.  It just has to hit that for one day and I throw in more sugar as fast as I can.  I have heard them buzzing a bit a few days ago so hopefully they still are hanging in there.


The parking situation.  Even days like this when I cave in and spend the night in town (due to COLD), I try to go buy and shovel.  And shovel.  And shovel.  Thank goodness I've been working out or I would be immobile now.















It was pretty funny yesterday.  I was shoveling a few inches of snow, after I went ahead and parked on it.  A nice young man stopped his truck across the road and ran over.  He asked if I needed help digging my car out of that hole (again...that is a few snows after this pic was taken).  I explained that I actually park in this hole and was just putting on my snowshoes to get up to the homestead.  He looked around for a while...presumably searching for a house.  Here's a hint:  There isn't one!  HA!  I said, "I've made some unique life choices and this is where I live.  Thank you very much for your offer."  I wonder if it was a story he found worth telling...

This is a picture of the highway to work.  That's Plummer Butte in the distance.  It is super pretty here when it snows.  














And finally: A look to the ESE from the shed:
















You can see the bee yard windbreak, the big tree with the shower room and living room under it.  Just to the left of the big tree you can make out the shape of the camper...or as I like to call it, "my 2nd home."   ...two homes and 36 acres owned outright...and yet...I count as "homeless."  Only in America.