Definitely not flying

It's getting close to family weekend down for DS's hockey team. This will be our third trip down.

The past two years we have flown. Last year, I bought our tickets on August 16th for $547 each. Family weekend was at the end of October.

This year, it's at the end of September and what a dif the price is. I have been tracking prices since May and they are astonishing. They started out at just under $1000 each, which I was significantly more than last year. I thought they would drop. Nope. They maxed out at $1800 each for the same flight (about 6 weeks ago)  at the same time of day with the same airline. Over 3 x the price per ticket compared to last year.

The one month earlier is part of it. But should it be THAT much different?

We are even leaving on a Thurs and returning on a Monday. No Fri, Sat or Sun flights.

As of this morning, the best flight time is not listed anymore. The less optimal time is $1100 per ticket with 2 stops and crazy lay overs.

So drive we shall. 17 hours. x 2

I am very concerned about colitis needs across the long stretches without a small town (bathroom). It pretty much means I can't eat or drink during the journey.

We will add one extra  hotel night on the way down but will be powering home the last day. I will be exhausted going back to work the next day.

It will be interesting to see what gas costs for the journey. Certainly less than the $2000+ the tickets would be.  But we did have to take an extra day off work.

Health

I am sitting here with a great big smile on my face.   I just got back from a 4K walk. 4K

I haven't been able to do a 4K since last summer.   You really don't appreciate good long walks until.....you can't anymore.

Colitis has been bad.  My walks are restricted to a 5 or 6 block square around my house. Even then, I have come home in tears because colitis....didn''t want to wait for me to get home.

I also had something else develop this spring/summer. I have muscle strength loss and control on my left side. Stumbling when walking....like tripping over nothing. I have to be very conscious of making sure my left foot lifts properly.   Added to that, whatever muscle/tendon goes from the outside anklebone across the top of the foot, is unhappy. It goes tight and achy and by lunch at work it starts to hurt to walk. By 3:30 I am limping. Volleyball practice is rough. I get home and I can't even walk.

I ended up having an emergency MRI in late August and all I know is that there is an 'anomaly'.  I am waiting for an appointment with the neuro to find out the details.  My gut tells me MS but who knows.

If things don't improve, this will be my last year teaching and I will end up on disability I suspect. That should be an interesting paperwork journey.

Despite this doom and gloom  post, I go back to the first line. I got to walk 4K. It felt amazing to be outside in the fresh air and a few leaves starting on the ground, and walk.

Whatever else health  brings this weekend....I got to experience  a 'walker's high'

Have a wonderful Saturday, everyone.

Where the money stands

as of September 6

Debt
Mortgage - $15 979.23
College LOC - $14 400.16

Total Debt - $30 379.39



Savings/Planned Spending
TFSA/EF - $8100
RESP - $ all gone
RRSP - $12 400
Summer 2016 - all gone
Back to School - $150 left - I will buy some clothes for work
XMAS 2016 - $1200
Plates - $1300
Flights - $600

Money continues to be set aside each month for college. It changes frequently as the fees for textbooks and supplies come in. I will have to convert some of it to US$ toute suite as well, and that takes a  huge chunk out of what I have saved.

August Change

It was  healthy change month for me. I think I just tossed every coin I received when shopping, into the jar.

• 1 roll toonies - $50
• 1 roll loonies - $25
• 2 rolls of quarters - $20
• 1 roll of dimes - $5

Total for the month is $100. I am just getting a $100 bill for this. I could put it against my LOC, but I am waiting for DS1's tuition balance to see if I have enough in my US$ account. If I don't I will just be pulling from the LOC right away.

Summer to do check list

Well today I am officially back to work. We have three days of meetings and then it's game on with a new group of kids. Where on earth did the summer go?? I say that every year and every year it goes faster and faster.


My to do list wasn't thrills and chills so much as appointments and meetings and paperwork. Here is what got accomplished.

DS1

• found him a job
• filled in 1 piece of tax paperwork we were missing from spring
• dentist visit 1
• dentist visit 2
• dentist visit 3
• dentist visit 4
• ordered a replacement birth certificate for DS (original was found 4 weeks later)
• passport pictures
• trip to the city to get passport renewed
• ordered new I-20 documents for DS to get back into the States
• oil change
• driver's license renewed
• copy of insurance package policy for him to take
• updated banking at brick and mortar #2

DS2

• found him a job (though not in the category required by his program)
• we were contacted by his school 9 weeks after he started his job to say they found him one in the city. He had to decline. He already committed for the summer to job 1 and had a place to stay. There would have been no place for him to stay in the city for a 6 week job
• got his oil changed
• did 2 dr visits with him
• ordered paperwork for proof of enrollment and transcripts so he could apply for scholarships (and for insurance and RESP withdrawl)
• withdrew balance of RESP money for DS's tuition
• hardly saw him :(

Moi

• Oil change
• new windshield
• eye dr visit
• dentist visit 1
• dentist visit 2
• infusion visit followed by
• ER visit (followed by)
• MRI (followed by)
• meeting with a neurologist (which got postponed because he is on holidays for 3 weeks.)
• infusion
• RRSP meeting
• RESP meeting
• TFSA meeting
• 15 letters and 12 phone calls regarding insurance for dentist visits
• took kitty to vet to learn she needed follow up visit to remove 2 teeth or she would die from infection
• back to school pedicure
• back to school lunch with friends
• back to school staff party with my old staff