The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
So I moved, you remember, and in the process, cut my rent by 40%. While I anticipated having to spend a little more on gas, I didn't expect my "savings" to be non-existent because of two main factors.....
1. In order to get to my downstairs flat, I have to walk down stairs. I had to do that in the place I was living before. No problem. But here, BEFORE I get to the steps, there is a slope with a very steep gradient. Very steep. I had slightly over extended my ankle in a Pilates class last September. Well, soon after I moved in this past April, the pain was now excruciating. Add to that, a pain in my other knee whenever I walked, or put pressure on it to get up after sitting, and I was heading towards "pop dung".
Doctor bill and physio therapy fees (2 - 3 days per week.....ultra sound, heat, TENS) eats up that 40%.
2. Laundry. There was a washing machine when I went to look at the place. What they did not say was that it don't work too good! You can't tell which cycle it is on because the dial has a mind of it's own. It doesn't match up with the settings on the machine. So I have to turn it several times and keep lifting the knob at various points to see where water starts coming in. One time, that was actually the rinse cycle! I made the mistake of leaving the machine. Turns out that all the soapy water was sucked out, because next was the Spin cycle. Oh, but that dont work. So the machine just sucks out the water, and no Spin.
The other things is that where the line is, it does not allow the clothes to dry quickly. Also, there are some plants in and between, so ants crawl pon mi underwear! Also, I have one day off. I might look on the weather forecast and decide it's an ok day to wash, only to wake up and find that the landlady has washed. There is no separate line for me.
How does that affect my "savings"? I end up having to carry the clothes to the laundromat. I would do that twice per month, which costs me EC$100!
So I am mulling over in my mind what to do. Do I talk it over with the landman first, use Contrasting Statements ("I really don't want to have to move because I LOVE the view, but I must realize my financial goals") and see if he can sort out those two things? Or, do I just look for somewhere else which better meets my needs and give him the two or one month notice I am required to give?
What would you do? They are very nice people. Good young Christian couple, so I don't want to hurt their feelings. But this is business, not personal.
When you're not working, what do you spend your time doing?
I've found that sometimes I spend too much time on the Internet, and I'd like to read more. I have lots of books I haven't read yet. So hopefully I will do more of that from now on, which means I gone now. Signing out.
So lemme know how your spend your spare time.
I've been so zonked lately. You'd think that with very few guests in the hotel, that we'd have it easy, but no.......the work continues!
Today was my day off and I decided I was not going to leave the house. I was also going to attempt to wash clothes in the not-so-nice washing machine.
The landlords apparently don't see how having a proper working washing machine takes away from stress. When you turn it on, you have no idea what cycle it's on, so it's trial and error! Also, the process takes loooooong. The spin cycle doesn't work too well, so I tend to do two rinses.
The landlords are away, so I knew I'd have the machine all to myself. Yay! Only did one load - sheets and night clothes. The rain cooperated and stayed away, even though there were some showers earlier.
Just had dinner. From the freezer, I took out cooked red kidney beans, cooked Quinoa and frozen veggies. Defrosted that, then warmed up some leftover fish I had got from Charcoals last night. Yum! Going to follow up with plantain tart for dessert.
So a very nice day off.