Subj : Various Things
To   : Daryl Stout
From : Barry Martin
Date : Sun Apr 28 2019 10:22:00


Hi Daryl!

 BM>True, though hard to imagine those loveable little hot dogs killing
 BM>something.  I don't think squirrels have that kind of killer instinct -
 BM>looked more like he was just having fun.

 DS>   The name dachshund is German for "badger dog". They were bred
 DS> to hunt for, dig, flush out, and kill badgers. There are 4 main
 DS> characteristics of dachshunds.

 DS> 1) An acutely sensitive nose. Dogs already have "nose brains",
 DS> where they can smell one part of urine in 60 million parts of
 DS> water. If they detect that, they want to pee (mark their
 DS> territory). Its nose can also keep on the scent of the prey (its
 DS> quarry), long after the trail has grown cold.

 DS> 2) Short legs keep it close to the ground, near the scent of its
 DS> prey.

 DS> 3) Spade like paws and claws allow it to move a ton of dirt...as
 DS> much as a foot in under a minute.

 DS> 4) Courage. They are bred to fight to the death, underground, in
 DS> the dark, and never back down. While they are high strung,
 DS> stubborn, and hard to housebreak, they are EXTREMELY LOYAL AND
 DS> LOVING to their owners...and those they don't like, will be told
 DS> about it, in no uncertain terms!!

Well so much for the cute little weiner dog persona!


 BM>Yes, probably a good idea to keep that money separate to make
 BM>accountability easier.  Would suppose also need to report the find to
 BM>the proper authorities and let them siphon it away.
 DS>   I did that, and it's in the one account that we're waiting on
 DS> the last remaining pension from my late father to get into. The
 DS> process of transferring stuff normally took 60 days, but then the
 DS> government was shut down from before Christmas until late
 DS> January, so that mucked things up.

Yes, one reason why I always preferred to have a 'slush fund' available
if possible to tide things over should should something not go right 
with anticipated income.


 DS>   That money is on hold in that account now, for "self pay", as
 DS> she'll never get approved for Medicaid now. She got her Social
 DS> Security (disability) and teacher retirement, and her late
 DS> husbands 2 pensions (one from the Navy, and the other from Swift,
 DS> which was absorbed by ConAgra). That put her way over the limit
 DS> for Medicaid...which allows no more than $2000 in assets per
 DS> month. So, if she makes it that long (she's down to 120 pounds,
 DS> and dropping), that is extra money that will be part of the self
 DS> pay for the approximately $5500 a month nursing home fee.

The good news is she has money, the bad news is she has too much money. 


 DS>   Now, once she dies, the disability, retirement, and pensions
 DS> will STOP. But, there is a death benefit on the teacher
 DS> retirement; yet I have no idea how much or how little that will
 DS> be. At least her funeral (as was her late husbands was, and mine
 DS> are) has been paid for. My brother never did such for his. I
 DS> understand there's a local funeral home that'll do a simple
 DS> cremation for $600. He wants his body donated to science, but he
 DS> doesn't want to go down there to fill out the paperwork. Whatever
 DS> money is left will come to me as Power Of Attorney, and
 DS> ultimately, executor of her estate...which I will split with my
 DS> brother. We also will benefit from a life insurance policy that
 DS> I'm still paying the premiums on each October. But, I'll still
 DS> have to fill out all the paper work, obtain and send off death
 DS> certificates, etc.

Try to track all those policies while everyone is alive!  Or at least 
store in one place to make the finding easier.


 BM>They have dietary considerations and preferences.  Both the Meals on
 BM>Wheels services for my Mother (southern New Hampshire) and my Aunt
 BM>(Vienna, Austria) had semi-extensive interviews, plus periodic
 BM>follow-ups.
 DS>   Well right now, I can't afford it.

My Mother has said she pays $10 a week ($2 a meal) for hers.  ...Quick 
Googling I saw one answer at $4 per meal; another said a sliding scale
based on income, so some were at no cost.  ...Hmm: here's a potentially 
interesting site: www.NeedHelpPayingBills.com   No idea how good the 
information is but may lead to something.



 BM> DS>   Way too many, and I'm sick and tired of it.
 BM>Can't blame you.
 DS>   But, it's like "I haven't suffered enough". I don't know how
 DS> much more I can take (likely very little) before I snap, and have
 DS> a breakdown.
 BM>And we're trying to suggest assistance.
 DS>   I know...I'm just so depressed right now. If it weren't for my
 DS> hobbies of the BBS, ham radio, and square dancing, I might've
 DS> been dead and gone long ago.
 DS>   Today is the 12th anniversary of my wife's death, and I can't
 DS> get the events of that day out of my mind...and that's making me
 DS> feel worse.

Yes, that is another issue for problems.  The "just get over it" isn't a
valid answer IMO.  Grieving is natural, being too close and seeing a 
constant barrage of problems as insurmountable also natural.  Just have 
to work around with some guidance on how to potentially get to there.



                        ¯                          ®
                        ¯   Barry_Martin_3@        ®
                        ¯                 @Q.COM   ®
                        ¯                          ®


.... 
Q - What do fish say when they hit a concrete wall?
 A - Dam!
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