Requested repair for my solar panel/powerbox

09/12/09 Filed in: HOME
In May 2008, just as I was clearing out my condo in St. Catharines Ontario for the new owner, I purchased a solar panel and a power box - the boxes showed these were the right units for each other - so I could have free energy to power my laptop, cell phone, radio, and fridge inside my van as I traveled about looking for a soft place to land. The $590 cost of these two items: $590. I have been able to use the power box but it recharges from electric energy, which doesn't save money. If I can use solar power on a daily basis, I can shave some money off my electric bill.

Powerbox

Only after I left Canada did I discover that the plug on the solar panel didn't fit in the Powerbox. So now I'm sending a detailed letter, a copy of the bill, the end of the plug and a request for a replacement that fits. I don't want to have to drive to Ontario if I can help it. I'm hoping the Canadian Tire store employee will be able to remedy this easily and it won't get stuck in Customs in either direction.

Organized all my computer disks

09/11/09 Filed in: BUSINESS
I was able to get 60 more plastic CD jewel boxes at a price lower than Walmart's so I could consolidate all my software masters and back up files and have them more easily in reach. Before they were on 2 spindles and in plastic sleeves inside several binders. Now they all sit in two plastic shoe box size boxes, with all the description labels facing in the same direction. Now I don't have to hunt in 3 places for them or handle dozens of them before finding the ones I needed. And I also separated the software according to which machine they belonged to. (I have two antique computers from 1991 and 1998.) It was a small price to pay for the feeling of convenience.

Oh, and I'm repurposing the CD sleeves as grocery store coupons.

Applied for Canada Pension

09/11/09 Filed in: PERSONAL
In Canada, 60 year olds can apply for early pension. Because I've earned income recently that's far below the set limit, I qualify to receive payments in a month. I did the math. If I received payments now instead of waiting until I'm 65, I will receive reduced payments, but for more years (I hope). I calculated that if I live to be 85, I'll receive only $4,000 less in total over all 25 years, by applying now rather than 5 years from now. So that's about $160 a year less. But who can count on living to 85? My friends in Canada say, "Take it now." So I did.

CanadaPension

I applied online and yesterday I mailed the signature sheet. It's not much money, but it's a bonus that will cover a small part of my monthly living expenses. Even though I won't be able to make further contributions to the pension plan, I'm not limited by how much I earn in future. And yes, pension income is taxable in Canada.

Found a replacement for my broken tape recorder

09/07/09 Filed in: BUSINESS
When I conduct telephone interviews and telephone consultations with clients, I like to record both sides of the call. One, because it's a good bonus to send to my clients so they can listen again and again to the ideas I presented. Not all ideas are absorbed in the call, and this way they don't have the added burden of taking notes during the call. Two, because sometimes I say something absolutely brilliant, if I say so myself, and this way I have a recording of it I can refer back too. And three, sometimes a happy client will give me a lovely compliment I can use as a testimonial in my own promotional materials and web site.

Well, the machine, purchased at Radio Shack in 1994, served me well, but no longer records. I bought a replacement on sale at Radio Shack, but it was battery operated and didn't come with a power cord. I didn't have a power cord in the right voltage, and Radio Shack wanted $20 for one. One staff person found the unit I wanted online at the same price with a power cord. (I can't trust batteries to maintain proper recording speed.) I ordered the second one ($49, same price as the one I bought 11 years ago) and saved the shipping cost by having it delivered to the store. I picked it up yesterday. Now I get to set it up and try it out. So, I'm once again in business as a consultant by phone and am ready to generate income, 15 to 60 minutes at a time.

Found food Casper will eat

08/12/09 Filed in: CASPER the cat
I was getting worried about Casper, thinking he may be nearing the end of his life. You know, stop eating and waste away. He is 13 years old, after all, and his two buddies passed away at age 8 and 9. The specialty food he loved was now being left on the plate after taking only a bite and seeing wasted food was painful. He was losing weight, not that he couldn't afford to, but it wasn't a good sign. But I remembered that cats will stop eating if they can't smell or taste food as they age. So I needed to find some "stinkier" food.

I am grateful that he is now loving 46-cents-a-can Friskies, and not the 89-cents-a-can natural food I was sacrificing to get him. I'm trying not to think that the supermarket food may be contributing to other health problems down the road. But now he's eating ravenously (and pooping accordingly) and although he has slowed down in activity, he seems happy. That he has an appetite again is good.