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Posts tagged with: finding contentment

House Proceeds – Car Maintenance, part 1

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Over the month of July I plan to layout where the house proceeds went…this is part 1.

Leading up the sale of the house, I was preparing for my move to Texas. That meant a major house purge, lots of things to donation, storage, and the trash. But it also meant taking inventory of what I was taking with me. And how I was getting there and living once the house was no more.

Outside of my parents’ house, I planned to spend some time car camping. In the future. Ok, that being said, I knew my car needed to be in good shape.

Recent Texas Experience

Since Gymnast has lived in Texas the last two years, we’ve had some experience with local car dealers. And I’ve been involved, well, because I’m his mom, and have a bit more experience dealing with mechanics.

That being said, it quickly became apparent that the level of service and cost of things in Texas versus our small town is very, very different. For instance, to get an issue with his A/C diagnosed cost a $300 diagnostic fee plus a week with no car. Ugh! And that’s with having a bumper to bumper warranty to cover mechanical issues.

Readying my Car

That being said, I spent $2,143 of the house proceeds on my car. She got new tires. And I had a slow leak in my A/C fixed. I had known of the A/C issue, the dealer where we get all service completed had diagnosed it for free some time back. But it wasn’t a deal breaker living in Georgia.

Hope's beloved Honda HRV

My beloved Honda CRV

Living in Texas without optimal operating A/C is a big NO! It’s HOT! So got that fixed. And have a year warranty on the work.

And after lots and lots roadtrips over the last 4ish years, it was time for new shoes for my baby car. This time, I wisened up and bought them at Discount Tire rather than our local dealership. This was maintenance and repairs will be covered across the country at their many locations. (When I purchased them at the dealership, I thought they would be covered at any Honda dealership, but in fact, they only offered the free maintenance at the dealership where I purchased the tires. Lesson learned.)

And and best of all, this was all done in 1 day! I was able to wait and work in their waiting rooms. In Texas, this would have taken upwards of a week+ to get all this accomplished.

Aging in Place

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I return to Texas within the week. Caring for my daughter and her fiance has been a very different experience then caring for my parents. Aging is place seems like a buzzword. But as I get more and more familiar with the care available (or not available/accessible in many cases) to seniors, it just makes so much sense. But it definitely does require planning and fore thought.

Our Story

We kind of fell into it with my mom. When she was originally diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and then that was changed to Parkinson‘s almost a year later, the gradual decline made it possible for us to talk through options and make plans as she went down hill. My family has taken EXCEPTIONAL care of her for the past 8 years. There are definitely advantages to having 5 kids and 3 of them living within 20 miles!

Hope and her parents in 2018

We took family photos in 2018 knowing it would most likely be my mom’s last time. Her memory and physical capabilities were fading fast. I’m so grateful we had these done.

Hospice was called in almost 3 years ago now. At the time, they didn’t expect her to last a month.

Now we watch every day, never knowing what it is to come. The long goodbye is definitely an accurate description of this debilitating disease. Her breathing is labored and raspy. It continues to get more and more laborious to feed her and prompt her to open her mouth and swallow.

But if anything my family sticks. My parents are truly examples of those often forgotten marriage covenants they made to one another over 50 years ago now.

Preparing for What’s Next

I feel very blessed to be here for this chapter in their lives and mine. I realize this is a privilege not many are given.

And I’ve realized that for now, being present for those that need me is exactly where I need to be.

And before you jump in the comments with the negativity or foreshadowing of some thing…I am sticking to my financial plan, saving and continuing to pay off my student loans. But I don’t know what or when my next chapter will come. And for the first time, that’s okay. Being present for my parents (and my kids) while they need me.

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