April 29, 2006  Aaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!
 
Things started out pretty good.... my new Canon Powershot S2 IS arrived from the auction on ebay, and I'm really pleased with it. Of course, it's quite a bit different than I'm used to, but I'm looking forward to getting familiar with it.
 
My uncle met the bulldozer fella at my Texas property and they did an inspection of what could be done. The dozer owner/operator is Mike Shepard, and Mike was familiar with the area. He actually spotted some things that would be to my benefit. We agreed on a budget and priorities and work should begin soon. They've had heavy rains down in the Wichita Falls area, so it may have to dry out a bit first.
 
I had an appointment with my financial advisor (a service provided free from my bank). I've been wanting to move IRA money from a poor-performing annuity with the much-hated Met Life and do a direct rollover into something I'm more comfortable with. I've had good luck with some specific mutual funds so some of the money will go into them and some will be put in reasonably short term CD's. Bottom line is that upcoming retirement looks pretty good, especially when I sell this house.
 
Things were going pretty well.... and then....
 
I got a voice mail message on my cell phone which very seldom occurs (I've told people not to leave voice mail messages on the cell service because voicemail has been the only point of friction between myself and Tracfone... I like the cell service and the fact I don't get outrageous roaming charges when I travel, but their customer service is located in India and you usually get connected to to someone who is poor in Engilsh but rich in attitude. It took several weeks and numerous phone calls to get my voice mail working, not to mention the many units wasted on my account.
 
Uh, where was I? Oh yeah. The voice mail was from one of my cousins in Texas. My uncle was having some chest pains and they were taking him to the hospital. My mother was running errands for her sister, my aunt, who was taking my uncle to the hospital when my mother was involved in a traffic accident having been hit by a couple of "low-lifes", one strap-towing the other's car. Mom was shook up but otherwise uninjured. Unfortunately her little Subaru Forester, while protecting her, took on a lot of damage.
 
Fortunately, my cousin Steve was on the way to the hospital when he spotted mom's car. Steve works with the Wichita Falls Police Department and knew who to call. The slime balls responsible for the accident were walking around, smoking cigarettes until emergency services arrived when they suddenly developed all sorts of pains and aches.
 
So, Uncle Al is still under observation in the hospital and I wish him the very best. He has been invaluable in helping me with my property arrangements. Mom is kinda grounded waiting for the police reports and the insurance company. She's feeling "down" because of the possibility that her little car may be totalled, although it may be better if she gets a new vehicle.
 
Well, that was the past week for me and my family. How'd your week go?
 
Until later.....DKHT

April 18, 2006  Updates
 
Thought I'd toss in some updated info, like I finally did receive the corrected check and tax reports from Bank of New York. I have to give them credit, since once the original snafu was spotted they lived up to their promises although on a slightly delayed timeline.
 
My uncle in Texas recommended a fellow to do the bulldozing on my property down there. After a bit of telephone tag I had the pleasure of talking to the operator owner. We discussed some of my desires for the work and asked him to provide me with his thoughts once he saw the site. Somehow our talk wound up about broadband access in that part of TX. It seems that that's a sideline interest of his. I think I'll like doing business with this gentleman.
 
Mom sent some cash for my birthday since my tastes and desires do not tend to follow the Target, JC Penny, Sears product lines (except where a few tools might be involved). I've had my eye on a new digital camera since my original (a $19.95 free-be with a Dell purchase way-back) was pretty limited and had an internal light leak if you had to use the built in flash. Really a plain jane rig with no zoom, but nifty for stuff like geocaching and making comparitive shopping notes since it's smaller that a pack of playing cards.
 
Years ago I inherited a Canon AE-1 35 mm film body with a variety of lenses and I've managed to take some pretty impressive pics with it. My favorites have been evening shots with sundowns, moonrises and lightning storms. But it's a bit cumbersome for spontaneous shots, and, I have a tendency to shoot a few shots and then forget I have film in the camera for long enough that I can't remember what I last shot. It does give me the manual control I might need in a few instances.
 
So I began my research for a new affordable digital camera. I didn't set my sights too high....just some newer and better features like some optical zoom, quick response, ability to add memory cards. A good point-and-shoot camera!
 
I looked over basic pricing and what was selling on Amazon and ebay, and checked out the various manufacturer's info. Lastly, I checked in with pal Paul, whose opinion on techie matters I sincerely respect. He recommended the Canon Powershot S2.
 
I reviewed at the specs on it and I was sold. Next I checked the web for pricing. Then I gasped. Then I looked in my birthday cash account. Then I looked in my reserve bank account.
 
After wiping away a few tears of disappointment, I started to rationalize (this is yet another scary part of my life). After all I really needed a good camera.... Besides, I've put on a few too many pounds so if I don't eat for a couple of months I could probably almost afford this camera. And it's Spring so I don't really need to run the furnace... so what if the truck and house insurance payments are a little late... I've been a good customer for over 30 years so I'm sure State Farm would grant me some leeway.
 
I jumped on ebay, and after a couple of days I profiled what might wind up becoming decent deals. I cleverly bid and won the camera I was after. It is being shipped as I write this. So I anxiously watch the driveway through my back door, ready to embrace the UPS driver while oiling my shotgun to ward off the bill collectors.
 
Migrating mallards are coming into the lake daily. Soon we'll have our own nesting pairs. The back yard maple budded out last week. It's always the first of the deciduous trees to show buds. The old oak should have prominent buds in a week or two...or three. Old oaks tend to be somewhat lethargic, but they're always reliable. Methinks I'm somewhere between a maple and an oak.
 
Until later.....DKHT

April 11, 2006  Financial Transaction Woes
 
Once again I have fallen into the abyss of dealing with financial institutions. The most recent transaction boondoggle involves the Bank of New York, who handles stock investments for Pepsico employees. Now I've never worked for Pepsico, but years back I did work for Quaker Oats and invested in their employee stock plan. When Quaker was purchased by Pepsico (mainly for the Gatorade product brand) the stock plan was transferred to Pepsico.
 
So recently I decided to cash in some shares to infuse my Texas property construction resources. The form at the bottom of my quarterly statements allows me to send in my instructions to the BofNY. But I had a question regarding the wording on part of the form, so I called the toll-free number to get clarification.
 
I finally contacted a representative (what's with this maze of recorded questions and instructions?..Do companies really think they're saving money by infuriating customers with touch-toning endless stupid alternatives?... I'd like to slowly hang the person who thought up this detestable telephone interaction).
 
This gal did give me the info I requested, but she added that she could also process the transaction online (I'd given my identification and account information 3 separate times by now). She asked me to confirm my identity and account info once again. In the interest of expediency, I complied and we got down to the final transaction. I had let's say Z shares total. I wanted to sell X shares, leaving Y shares in my account. I repeated this instruction 3 times to make certain there was no mistake in my intention.
 
Two weeks later I received a check for all Z shares...they'd cashed out my entire account! Of course, I immediately called and wound up being passed up a few supervisor levels (maybe it's just me, but I don't have tons of faith in an institution that employs people who are so ill-equipped to provide service on lower levels... particularly where MY MONEY is involved!).
 
I was advised that a corrected check would be cut and BofNY would buy back the excess shares they sold (I'm thinking at what price since weeks of stock market modulation has ensued!) The promised date for the new check was missed...twice. The other issue was the info provided to the IRS. It appears that reporting to the IRS takes precedence over actually making the transaction, so now corrections had to be sent to the IRS. I still haven't received that documentation. The corrected check was finally received, and promptly cashed. Gotta wait a few days, weeks, months for confirmation.
 
A few years back I went through another financial boondoggle. That was with Metropolitan Life and State Street Reasearch. Met Life represented my investment with State Street Research. Stock performance was on a downswing, so I called Met Life to liquidate my State Street shares. Met Life reps told me I needed specific paperwork from State Street. However, State Street Research kept insisting that the paperwork required by Met Life was not appropriate. This bickering went on for over six months and involved attempted intervention from my local bank's financial advisor. From start to finish I'd lost 23 percent of the value of my investment. I filed a complaint with the FTC who admitted their sympathies, but were helpless to resolve.
 
This was not the first time I had problems with Metropolitan Life. So be forewarned...DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH MET LIFE and be cautious of State Street Research since their online help is ill-informed and can result in major losses to your account.
 
But, if you're inept and just don't give a damn about customer service you might want to apply for work with one of these companies. Of course, be prepared to be replaced by some overseas dufus with attitude and an inability to speak anything remotely sounding like English!
 
Until later.....DKHT
 

April 9,200  Been a busy week or so...In Wisconsin and in Texas
 
Whenever I am able, I've been trying to assemble a respectable presentation on the Joy Camps of Hazelhurst Wisconsin. This is an area that has been very important to my family and me over the past 36 years, although the camps had closed years prior to our arrival here.
 
This is not to be confused with so-called "joy camps" occasionally found in searches on Google. Rather, this is a very unique camp for girls of means founded in 1930 in Norhern Wisconsin and existing into the 1960's. It was founded in 1930 by Barbara Ellen Joy and Marjorie Camp, hence the name.
 
We have had the honor of meeting dozens of the women who attended this camp in years past when they have returned to recapture memories of camp experiences so many years ago. It's through these generous gals that we have been able to compile very special photographs and memories of the Joy Camps experience. I've managed to preserve and scan most of the photos and info. I hope to have it online soon, so continue to visit and watch for a new "Places" link on the left.
 
On an unrelated matter,I finally established communication with the volunteer fire department that covers the area including my new Texas property. I'd inquired if they could do a controlled burn on the property once the fire hazard and burning ban for this North Texas area was lifted. The response from the Assistant Chief of Operations for the department was polite and informative.
 
I didn't even mind a mini-lecture regarding the nuances of volunteer fire departments... in my former Illinois home town my great-great uncle first served when there was only a pull-along hose cart, my grandfather joined the department early on and later served as Cheif and eventually Trustee, and my father was on the department from the time he returned from WWII until 1980. I grew up spending many weekend hours in the firehouse, and frequently went on fire calls. But that's another story...
 
But the bottom line was controlled burns could only be done A) after burn bans were lifted, B) with the formal approval of everybody from a municipal judge through the local constabulatory and C) under ideal conditions. In North Texas??? Oh yeah, I forgot D) having a bare ground fire break plowed around the perimeter of the property.
 
The plowed firebreak issue is not a small one...turns out that I'm responsible for any fire, premeditated or accidental, that spreads to other properties and causes damage. Since two sides of the property lie along roadways, the chance that a cigareet-smokin' cowboy tossing out a lit fag is highly likely and already occurred back in January before I bought the property.
 
So here I am, living next to a moron in Northern Wisconsin and trying to find a bulldozer guy in Northern Texas to plow a firebreak...what is the safe width of a firebreak in tinder-dry country? Anything over 400 feet turns my property into a huge parking lot. Just what did I do to deserve this fate???
 
Until later.....DKHT