Adventures of local wildlife

I do not know how many of you live in rural or suburban America, but I live 9 miles out of a town of 400 people. As I sit here, I can listen to coyotes behind my house howling. After telling my neighbor about it, he stated that there is a pack of about 15 in the valley behind our house. That is just great. My dogs are going crazy and I am worried about my chickens. I am really surprised that my supposed hunting dog has not gone to investigate. He was bred for coyote hunting and probably knows better. It’s a good thing that I have plenty of guns. Last year when I was driving my 4 wheeler to work (9 miles), a mountain lion ran in front of me only one mile from our house. Our neighbor hunts coyotes for the state of Wyoming and he has asked me several times if I heard them behind our house. I never did until now. I take for granted that I can walk freely any time in my yard, but that is not the case. My mother from Indiana even said that I shouldn’t walk out to my garden without a gun. After hearing this tonight, I agree. When my mother visited last year, she was nervous about us leaving our doors open at night. Our neighbors and us keep a close eye on each other, even the UPS guy. He knows are dogs and even when it is raining, he will put our packages inside our house. That would never work in the suburbs. I think that is so cool that we know each other well enough to do this sort of thing. I wish that everyone could live the open life that we do.

Who speaks Engish anymore?.......I do

Does anyone know what the primary language is here in the United States? Most of you would say English. If it is English, then why do we have to select one for English when calling customer service or using an ATM? Since the Europeans first settled here, English has been the primary language. If I were to move to another country, I would expect to speak their language. Our government and corporate business are catering to non natives. In my opinion, if they want to live here, then they need to learn our language.
My most recent nightmare regarding this issue was when I tried to call my cell phone companies customer service line. While on vacation, I received a text message from my provider stating that they will no longer be servicing our area. I tried calling as instructed and could not get an English speaking person. This was attempted three different times. None the less, I lost service on my phone. After talking to others in my rural area, they told me that all they did was have their zip code of primary use changed. That would have been cheaper than me buying a new phone.

Can we really go home?

I wouldn't suggest it. I just returned from a two week trip back to Indiana and within one day, I realized why I had left. Don't get me wrong, it was great spending time with my daughter and granddaughter, but there was nothing but attitudes with the rest on the family. At our family BBQ, I lost my temper within five minutes. I will never go home again except for an emergency.

The good part is, now that I am home and finished at the KOA, I can start my redecorating projects. The house is going to have a whole new look. I will let you know how it is coming.

New home buyers BEWARE….

If you are looking to buy a house for the first time, be VERY careful. It is all over the news and media that it is a great time to buy a home, especially for first time buyers. With interest rates down and all the tax incentives, many young people are taking advantage of these deals. If you decide to buy for the first time, here are a few tips to think about.
No matter what the realtor says, insist on a full inspection and survey. Even if it cost a little more, do it. When I bought my first house 20 years ago, it was the standard. I would not have thought of it, but I had a good realtor that was looking out for my best interest. Just to let you know what can happen if you don’t, here is a horribly true story. My daughter bought a house 1 year ago. She was 20 yrs old with a 9 month old baby. She contacted the selling agent and the nightmare began. Jennifer is an intelligent girl, but unfamiliar with buying a home. I live across the country and guided her as much as possible, which was not enough. I assumed that there were laws and requirements that the realtor had to fallow. Anyways, a year later the board of health shows up at her door and states that all 11 houses in here area, including her’s, does not have a proper septic system and is draining raw sewage in the river behind their houses. They will probably be condemning the houses unless a pricey new system is put in. It was my understanding that the law required a functioning septic in order to purchase/sell a house. Not to mention the bank financing a home knowing that this was not checked. Even in the extremely rural part of Wyoming were they used to use old cars and anything they could find as septic tanks, has even passed strict regulations for septic systems. Why wouldn’t Indiana, especially along a river?
When it comes to the inspection, have it completely detailed and review it carefully before signing any papers. Do not be afraid of asking questions. Remember, it is your money and your family’s future. When Jennifer bought her house, the inspection was lame. The only things that were required to be completed by the mortgage company was to spackle and paint a crack in the ceiling, patch a spot on the roof. Also painting some door trim. Superficial items are irrelevant and a full inspection would have found the major damage in the roof. After part of the roof fell in two months ago, they found a lot of mold. Luckily the septic issue came about before the new roof went on because Jennifer is not in a financial position install a new septic. She will probably let the bank take the house back.
This is another issue. Jennifer has done very well regarding her credit and now she will probably have to file bankruptcy. Why would any bank finance a house without covering their own interests? Now they will have to pay for the repairs or take the house back. Even if Jennifer lets the house go, the bank would have to do these repairs in order to resell the property. This is going to be a long battle.
When it comes to a realtor, get your own. Do your research and get referrals from family and friend that have used a particular agent. By have a realtor of your own, they will look out for your best interest and not just the sellers. Jennifer and I trusted in the laws and ethics of realtors and used the seller’s agent. Dwanette Stokes of Premier, Inc only wanted to make a sale and collect her commission. I do not understand how any human being could do this to a younger single mother trying to better her family’s life. I have contacted the National Association of Realtors, Indiana Attorney General and the local news stations. Dwanette Stokes and First Choice Bank in Ft. Wayne have wrecked my daughter’s life and my goal is to make them pay for their unethical activities. I plan on causing enough commotion that something gets done.
Basically what it comes down to is, do your homework, ask question and do not assume anything. Take it from someone that has learned several lessons, you cannot trust even licensed professionals. If you have had similar problems or have other tips, please share them.

Blog promoter

I have just signed up with payperpost.com and it seems to have potential. So here I go, Rub your magic 8 gently and see what happens.

Anti-mosque

I am sure everyone has heard about the contraversy regarding the proposed Mosque near ground zero. I can not believe that the Islamic community would ever believe that the american people would allow this. Basically they are saying that if we do not allow it, it shows disrespect for their religion and gives them a reason to terrorize us and if we do, it shows that they can control us. Damned if we do and damned if we don't. The video that I recently posted from a British man shows that we have worldwide support against this. Islams would not allow us to build a shrine on sacred ground in their country, why should we. Anyone that allows this to be built should be shot.

I was scanning through various blogs last week and ran into one from a guy in Ohio. He was complaining about having to listen to this all the time and stated, "who cares?" All I have to say is, he must not be a real american. True americans are what made this country what it is today, whether it be good or bad. It is our responsibility to protect it the best we can. This means not allowing terrorist religions to take over. Considering that our president is not even a natural born citizen and his actions so far have sided with these sort of people, he will probably make sure that the Mosque is built. If he does, I'm sure that his days will be numbers.

Newbie

I am still very new at this blogging stuff, but have really enjoyed it. Everyday I am research ways to publish a successful blog. One of the biggest things that has helped is looking at other blogs. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks, Beth Ann

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Spoiled brats

I think that I have actually lost my mind. After finally marrying my soul mate (Jim) of 14yrs, I don’t know if I can handle his baggage (his kids). I have been the only mother that they have ever had and one would think that at 24yrs and 32yrs of age, they would grow up and treat me like a person with feelings. Jim is only home for a couple of days here and there since he works out of town, but it never fails that his son (Jason), girlfriend and their dogs drive 300+ miles every other week to interfere with our quality time. My kids have lives of their own and I hardly ever see them. Is it wrong to think that after raising our kids that we should be able to have a life of our own?

Right at this moment, I think I might strangle a dog. Do not get me wrong, I have dogs of my own and love them very much. Jason has a beagle he either let’s her take off and run deep into the hills (and my male dog follows) or I have to listen to her howl continually. I try to tell them that if a rancher catches them around their sheep or cattle, they will get shot. But I must speak an unknown language since no one every pays any attention to what I have to say.

And, I finally got my S10 fixed from Jason blowing the transmission 2yrs ago. My husband drives it since the gas mileage is better with the long distance he drives. The kids are always having car problems when they come to our house and a couple of times it has been suggested to let them take the S10. I told my husband that when it got fixed, he was taking it again. I just heard him say that he will have to take Beth’s truck. Ultimately, I have no real say in the matter. Jason has always considered everything ours, in and around the house, his also.

After being sick on Sunday, I just wanted for us to put in a movie and have some quiet, alone (sober) time. What do you think happened? Jim sat on the front porch with the kids and got drunk, and I laid on the couch alone watching TV. This morning he wondered why I was crying and now he is pissed because he knows that I am upset. Well, that is not my fault. He could tell Jason that they do not need to come up all the time, especially since they do not have reliable transportation. Oh wait, Jason does, but he won’t drive it because it cost too much gas.

Recycle

One of the ways that I save money is feeding my chickens and dogs. I work for a restaurant and supplement animal food with the leftovers brought home from work. If it is going to be thrown out, why not get some use from it. All my animals love this extra treat. Anyone that has pets knows that food is not cheap. Just be sure to include regular dog food since it has the vitamins and proteins that dogs need.

Reusing glass jars is one thing I do a lot. They are used for everything from keeping old cooking grease to starting seeds. Cooking oil is a great fire starter. I use it when starting fires in my burn barrels or burning brush. If you choose to start seeds in a glass jar, be sure to transplant them before they get to root bound. I have had to break the jars in order to transplant them. Jars are also useful for sorting various notions, nail, screws and etc.

There are a lot of things that I do to save money without thinking. I am going to start being more conscious of them and will writing about them regularly.

Free stuff

While I was on disability, I spent a lot of time on the internet. I have found several different sites were you can get free samples. In an eight month span of time, I have accumulated a large supply of various samples. Most of the free sample sites have mostly the same items. The site that I use is yesall4free.com and thunderfap.com. Be careful of offers or samples that require participation. These are never free.


Another site that is legitimate is Rewardport.com. They send you emails that offer points for doing surveys, reading offers and links to samples. Even if you choose not to participate in the offers, you receive points just for clicking on the link. These points can be used to purchase gift cards to hundreds of popular places.

A mosque at ground zero?

What is our government thinking? Even the thought is a disgrace to our nation.This is a must see video.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/06/pat-condell-on-ground-zero-mosque-is-it-possible-to-be-astonished-but-not-surprised.html

Pat Condell is a British stand-up comedian, but this video isn't comic, it's pure truth, and utterly brilliant.

Money making website scams

If you have ever searched the internet for ways to earn money, you have encountered several sites that promise big money immediately. I hope that none of you have fallen for them. I have done extensive research into these sites and found how they work. Once you pay the fee to purchase the secret, you are set up with the same type of site that you just entered. Basically, you would be doing the same thing, asking for money to pass on the same website.




There are other sites that want money to tell you how to set up a website or blog. Google does this for free. In the past I have purchased a Blog tool kit that was supposed to tell a person exactly how to set up a blog and make money. The kit only gave ideas for topics and various suggestions and techniques. If you want to set up a blog, Google has everything needed on their website at no cost.

One thing to remember is the saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”

Continuing Education

I enrolled in the University Of Phoenix this last February. After seeing hundreds of commercials stating “go back to school free with government grants,” this is a joke. I had stated to admissions and the financial advisor that I would only enroll if the tuition was totally covered by grants, no student loans. Both had assured me that this was the case and not to worry. Being an unwed woman on temporary disability, this would be a given. Well I was wrong. After completing about 12 weeks of courses, I started receiving mail regarding my student loans. I was furious. It took my financial advisor about 3 week to return my calls and when he did, it was bull. He said that financial aid is student loans. The admissions guy has never returned my calls. I ultimately withdrew since now that I am married, I definitely would not qualify.


They use these ads saying return to school for free and then get people that are already struggling into worse financial condition. Some of the ads are not for specific schools, so it makes me wonder if the government is behind some of this.

My purpose

My purpose of this blog is to share the information and scams that I have learned. Knowledge is the most important things when conducting business, especially on the internet. The net is the easiest way to scam innocent people and there are a lot of people willing to do it. Everyone is out for an easy, quick buck, but there are not many ways to do that. My goal is to expose these sites so that others do not fall victim. I will write about new legitimate opportunities and non legit scams. There will also be various rant and raves about things that irate and interest me. I live a very basic life in an extreme rural area in Wyoming and do everything possible to save money and reuse items. When I find an idea to save money or an inexpensive way of doing something, I will share it with my readers. I hope that my readers will share any ideas they might have as well.