Following the shocking "hacked" experience yesterday morning, I went to our bank and opened a new account. The process has changed somewhat since we opened any account more than a dozen years or so ago. Josie couldn't be added to the account since she needed to physically be there to provide her drivers license and sign the documents. They no longer allow you to take the forms home, get them signed and returned to the bank. I guess, with her long days working this week, it won't be until after Mother's Day when she can stop by the bank during their open hours to get that done.
The entire day was spent going through old bank statements and folders on my email to make sure I didn't miss any accounts where we provide our bank information for payments. Also, all of the automatic payment creditors were changed over to the new account. This morning I noticed that the balances are back to normal and our old account will have a hold on it until all automatic deposits are converted to the new account. I had no problems with any of the changes to the new account except for one - my Unisys pension - whom I haven't communicated with in over 15 years. The company responsible for handling those payments has changed a couple times over the years and they asked me security questions I couldn't answer - such as, what is your password and what was the exact date you terminated your employment? Of course, I didn't have a password because I have never tried changing any information with this new provider. I also couldn't remember the exact date I terminated employment and it isn't written down anywhere. So, I need to wait for them to send me a temporary password in the mail before I can change any account information. Fortunately, the old account will still be open - but on hold - until all of these changes are made.
Maybe we can get back to our normal schedule now and I can get some work done outside. Even though it was windy most of the afternoon yesterday, it appears to be calm - and much cooler than yesterday, so it should be a good outside activities day. We only have about ten more days before leaving, so we have lots to do...
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Bank Account Hacked
My schedule for today was changed very early this morning. As standard procedure every morning, I check our bank accounts to ensure accuracy. This morning, there was a bogus charge from Kohl's department store where we haven't shopped in over a year. I immediately got on the phone to our bank and began the process of getting the account straightened out. If you have ever had your bank accounts hacked, you know it is a nightmare and huge inconvenience to gain access to your funds. Not only that, I have to go through all of my bank statements to make sure I get in contact with all of the "automatic" payments and deposits that are attached to the account. Technology advances can be wonderful, but can also create unimaginable problems. Somehow, our account routing and account numbers were obtained fraudulently. It will take time - lots of it - to get our financial functions back to normal.
The entire day, or most of it, will be spent opening a new account and contacting all those parties that have a need to access our account. Josie will be working another long day at the shop and will most likely not be home before 6 PM or so. I hope your day is more pleasant than ours...
The entire day, or most of it, will be spent opening a new account and contacting all those parties that have a need to access our account. Josie will be working another long day at the shop and will most likely not be home before 6 PM or so. I hope your day is more pleasant than ours...
Monday, May 5, 2014
Signed Up
It's now official. We are signed up on the annual program here at the Pleasant Harbor RV Resort. That means a couple of things. First, it means that our space here is to be used by no one except us for the next year. Secondly, it means that everything we have done to improve the space can remain on the site until, or unless, we remove it. It also lays out our schedule for the next year in that we are committed to return here. The nice part of that is we don't need to make a reservation when we return from Jackson. We'll try it for at least this first year and it also means that Josie will most likely return to the Phoenix Flower Shops again next year. We may consider other locations following this next year.
With the one year commitment we can go ahead with the installation of the fence. That will provide a bit more security for the items we leave behind over the summer. It would have been a nightmare to remove everything and place the items in another storage unit. The security people that patrol the resort will also keep an eye on the space while we are gone.
Today is Cinco De Mayo, but we probably won't get to celebrate it. We like to go to a Mexican Restaurant when we can, but with Josie's schedule, it looks like we will pass on that for this year. The pace is picking up at her shop now, so it looks like the days will only get longer this week. With our annual status of the site, we can leave here anytime. We may end up staying a couple more days to give her a chance to catch her breath before leaving...
With the one year commitment we can go ahead with the installation of the fence. That will provide a bit more security for the items we leave behind over the summer. It would have been a nightmare to remove everything and place the items in another storage unit. The security people that patrol the resort will also keep an eye on the space while we are gone.
Today is Cinco De Mayo, but we probably won't get to celebrate it. We like to go to a Mexican Restaurant when we can, but with Josie's schedule, it looks like we will pass on that for this year. The pace is picking up at her shop now, so it looks like the days will only get longer this week. With our annual status of the site, we can leave here anytime. We may end up staying a couple more days to give her a chance to catch her breath before leaving...
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Sadness and Site Update
Yesterday started off with some sad news. Yesterday morning, Mark's mother passed away following a long illness. Mark and Patty, along with the two older boys, will go to Florida on Wednesday for the service and funeral on Thursday. We extend all of our prayers and sympathy to Mark and his family on this sad occasion.
I spent most of the day buying the fence and chasing around town to various hardware supply stores to get all the material needed to complete the installation. On my way home in the afternoon, I stopped into the office, as usual, to check on our mail and to extend our stay here to the 16th of May. I was thrown a curve ball when I discovered that our site had been rented for Memorial Day weekend. With all of the improvements we made to the site, and in all of the conversations we've had with the office personnel, we never anticipated another party occupying our space at any time. Our commitment from them on the annual plan for our space prohibits any other party from occupying the space at any time. The problem is, we aren't officially on the annual plan and we don't have our space "officially" reserved for the year until payment is made for the entire year. Now, instead of paying the annual fee in October when we return, we are forced to pay now in order to keep from taking down all the improvements and placing them in a storage unit for the summer - and also to prevent our space from being rented during the summer months. Not very pleasant news. I will hold off installing the fence until this is resolved.
Josie is putting in her long days now, and is anxious for this stretch to end. Beginning on Friday, we both will be in the middle of the frenzy until Mother's Day - a week from today. Having owned a shop before, we are both aware that this holiday, along with Valentine's Day, is the key to a shop having a good year financially.
I also had a chance to catch the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby yesterday and was happy to see the favorite win. The fun now will be watching to see if the horse can win the triple crown which is rare in horse racing. This one - California Chrome - will have as good a shot as any after seeing how strong it raced yesterday.
One thing became evident while driving around yesterday, and that was the fact that the Saguaro's are about to burst into full bloom. I took this one shot of a Saguaro that I could get close to, and will leave this entry with the shot:
See ya tomorrow...
I spent most of the day buying the fence and chasing around town to various hardware supply stores to get all the material needed to complete the installation. On my way home in the afternoon, I stopped into the office, as usual, to check on our mail and to extend our stay here to the 16th of May. I was thrown a curve ball when I discovered that our site had been rented for Memorial Day weekend. With all of the improvements we made to the site, and in all of the conversations we've had with the office personnel, we never anticipated another party occupying our space at any time. Our commitment from them on the annual plan for our space prohibits any other party from occupying the space at any time. The problem is, we aren't officially on the annual plan and we don't have our space "officially" reserved for the year until payment is made for the entire year. Now, instead of paying the annual fee in October when we return, we are forced to pay now in order to keep from taking down all the improvements and placing them in a storage unit for the summer - and also to prevent our space from being rented during the summer months. Not very pleasant news. I will hold off installing the fence until this is resolved.
Josie is putting in her long days now, and is anxious for this stretch to end. Beginning on Friday, we both will be in the middle of the frenzy until Mother's Day - a week from today. Having owned a shop before, we are both aware that this holiday, along with Valentine's Day, is the key to a shop having a good year financially.
I also had a chance to catch the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby yesterday and was happy to see the favorite win. The fun now will be watching to see if the horse can win the triple crown which is rare in horse racing. This one - California Chrome - will have as good a shot as any after seeing how strong it raced yesterday.
One thing became evident while driving around yesterday, and that was the fact that the Saguaro's are about to burst into full bloom. I took this one shot of a Saguaro that I could get close to, and will leave this entry with the shot:
See ya tomorrow...
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Two Weeks Left
We have just about settled on a fence solution and I will probably pick up the material today. There are only a few questions to be answered regarding the anchoring of the panels, and the store salesperson can answer those - I hope.
The weather is perfect - no winds, but hot. The forecast calls for our first 100+ degree day tomorrow, following a forecasted 99 today. It will then cool down into the 80's for a few days so it shouldn't be too bad to work outside.
The stage is set for Josie's long days. She again worked an 8 hour day yesterday, and they will all be at least that long for the next 8 days. The flowers are arriving so the vases that she has greened the last few days will begin to fill up and become full arrangements. There are hundreds of them ready for flowers. It makes it a little easier knowing there is an end in sight following Mother's Day.
The resort is rapidly becoming a ghost town and more and more folks are leaving for cooler climates. There are almost more empty spaces than occupied spaces, but that is the norm for here. Surprisingly, they get a good summer crowd on weekends with the lake being a popular summer "cooling" activity. Actually, we would also be counted among the departed if we didn't have to stay through Mother's Day. Just about everybody that is left is a year-round occupant...
The weather is perfect - no winds, but hot. The forecast calls for our first 100+ degree day tomorrow, following a forecasted 99 today. It will then cool down into the 80's for a few days so it shouldn't be too bad to work outside.
The stage is set for Josie's long days. She again worked an 8 hour day yesterday, and they will all be at least that long for the next 8 days. The flowers are arriving so the vases that she has greened the last few days will begin to fill up and become full arrangements. There are hundreds of them ready for flowers. It makes it a little easier knowing there is an end in sight following Mother's Day.
The resort is rapidly becoming a ghost town and more and more folks are leaving for cooler climates. There are almost more empty spaces than occupied spaces, but that is the norm for here. Surprisingly, they get a good summer crowd on weekends with the lake being a popular summer "cooling" activity. Actually, we would also be counted among the departed if we didn't have to stay through Mother's Day. Just about everybody that is left is a year-round occupant...
Friday, May 2, 2014
Researching Fence Options
I made a trip to Lowe's yesterday to compare options on their fencing. The original fencing that we bought, and returned, was purchased from them last October. The fence we previously chose is still a valid option, but I also checked out the heavy duty residential fencing. Now we have several good options, but none of them are cheap.
The only way to figure out a good solution was to go around the resort, checking other installations to see which one would work best for us. The problem we're having is that most of the fences are on sites where people don't move their rigs at all. They are, more or less, permanent on the spaces and those fences don't ever have to move as long as they stay on the site. Our situation is different in that we will be leaving the space each summer, and it would be a headache to have to take down, or move, the section where the fifth wheel needs to go in and out. The best solution I've found is to put the portion of fencing that is on the fifth wheel side on wheels - or rollers - that would allow the whole section to just roll out of the way to move in and out with the rig. That is a more expensive solution, so we are still wrestling with the best way to proceed.
Josie worked almost 8 hours yesterday, so the rush is beginning to happen. Even though there are 9 days left before Mother's Day, there is lots of greening of containers and cleaning of flowers that needs to be done. I completed the form that is used for contract drivers and she will take that in today.
Thank goodness the winds have stopped. I had our awning out for the first time in about a week and sat outside for some time in the afternoon, catching up on reading material and just relaxing. We hope it stays calm, even though that means hotter weather is on the way...
The only way to figure out a good solution was to go around the resort, checking other installations to see which one would work best for us. The problem we're having is that most of the fences are on sites where people don't move their rigs at all. They are, more or less, permanent on the spaces and those fences don't ever have to move as long as they stay on the site. Our situation is different in that we will be leaving the space each summer, and it would be a headache to have to take down, or move, the section where the fifth wheel needs to go in and out. The best solution I've found is to put the portion of fencing that is on the fifth wheel side on wheels - or rollers - that would allow the whole section to just roll out of the way to move in and out with the rig. That is a more expensive solution, so we are still wrestling with the best way to proceed.
Josie worked almost 8 hours yesterday, so the rush is beginning to happen. Even though there are 9 days left before Mother's Day, there is lots of greening of containers and cleaning of flowers that needs to be done. I completed the form that is used for contract drivers and she will take that in today.
Thank goodness the winds have stopped. I had our awning out for the first time in about a week and sat outside for some time in the afternoon, catching up on reading material and just relaxing. We hope it stays calm, even though that means hotter weather is on the way...
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Blowing Away
The wind has been relentless the last three days. On each of those days, we have had gusts of 29, 35, 32 with steady winds in the 15-20 mph range. It isn't unusual to have one or days like that, but three is a first. Not only that, but it had been windy two days prior to this recent run of high winds. It is definitely the windiest time period since we have been here. It really makes it difficult to get things done outside.
As a result of another windy day yesterday, I did one more seat in the truck with the leather conditioning and a few projects inside. There were a couple lights that needed new bulbs which I changed, I re-strung one of the two shades that needed attention and made some progress on my cross stitch project. When Josie came home, we went to our storage unit in Surprise and to Sam's Club to pick up groceries and other items. We also picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner and wrapped up the day watching a little TV.
There are still some things that need to get done outside if we can only get some calm days to work without getting blown away. Also, we are getting closer to getting a fencing solution for our space if we can just find a good one that doesn't break the bank. I'll try Lowe's again today and see if they have anything different from Home Depot.
Everything is so dusty from all the wind that it will take a major effort to clean everything when it does stop blowing. If we are lucky, maybe it will stop today...
As a result of another windy day yesterday, I did one more seat in the truck with the leather conditioning and a few projects inside. There were a couple lights that needed new bulbs which I changed, I re-strung one of the two shades that needed attention and made some progress on my cross stitch project. When Josie came home, we went to our storage unit in Surprise and to Sam's Club to pick up groceries and other items. We also picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner and wrapped up the day watching a little TV.
There are still some things that need to get done outside if we can only get some calm days to work without getting blown away. Also, we are getting closer to getting a fencing solution for our space if we can just find a good one that doesn't break the bank. I'll try Lowe's again today and see if they have anything different from Home Depot.
Everything is so dusty from all the wind that it will take a major effort to clean everything when it does stop blowing. If we are lucky, maybe it will stop today...
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