Monday, November 23, 2015

Bills and Sponge Cake on Monday

Today started off with a phone call to the insurance company to ask about the $715 bill I received from the radiology center.  I was on the phone with them for 30 minutes, but it would be well worth the time if it means saving myself $715.  Apparently the radiology center billed the insurance company directly, instead of going through the HMO I belong to.  So, the insurance company denied the claim and the radiology center billed me, instead.  The person I spoke to at the insurance company spoke to someone at billing at the radiology center while I was kept on hold and explained what the billing procedure should be.  So, they will resubmit the billing through the proper channels and I am to disregard the billing, unless I hear from them, again. 

Then, I received the latest billing from the utility company, in today's mail.  $376.33!  What?!  Yes, the billing period is for 2 months, and the bill includes water, electricity, sewage, and trash collection, but still!  That's almost $400!  I usually don't go over $300 per bill, which is why I allocate $150 towards it in my monthly budget.  Well, a closer look revealed the reason for the higher than usual charge - they are charging me $87.85 as a "correction" on two previous bills from last year!  January 2014 to March 2014 and from March 2014 to May 2014!  My charges for the current billing period amount to $288.48 which is no higher than usual.  That breaks down to $101.50 for 624 kWh for electricity (I am allocated 1,000 kWh at Tier 1 rates), $51.15 for 11 HCF (hundred cubic feet) of water (I am allotted 24 HCF during winter and 29 HCF during summer, at Tier 1 rates), sewer service charge of $61.80 and solid waste (trash collection) charge of $74.03.  I know they experienced billing problems last year due to a change in the computer program they were using.  They over charged some customers and there's a lawsuit pending about that.  They undercharged me and I called them about it; I was told they will correct it later, and I thought they already did that on a later bill.  I will have to go through my old bills and see if I can figure it out.

All this worrying over bills had me feeling stressed.  I tried to relax by sewing on the quilt binding, but that, too, was giving me trouble and not coming along as I would have liked.  So, after fussing over that for several hours, I decided to bake a cake.  My usual sponge cake.  As I mentioned before, this is my favorite recipe.

The Recipe

I copied down this recipe from my mother's recipe book, and it is one of the easiest recipes to make:


Cream together 1/4 lb. butter and 1/2 lb. sugar

Add  2 eggs, one at a time

Beat well after each egg has been added:

After eggs have been mixed in

Add 1/2 lb. sifted flour mixed with 3 tsp. baking powder, along with 1/2 cup of milk; add vanilla (I hadn't written how much, so just added about a tablespoon); recipe called for salt, but I used salted butter, so I didn't add any salt.

Add vanilla
 Spread the mixture in a baking pan:


Before baking
Bake in a moderately hot oven for about 30 minutes:

Fresh out of the oven


Cooled on the rack for a few minutes:

Cake Cooling
And enjoyed for dessert:

Piece of Cake!
Breakfast was tuna salad on toast; daughter made fried rice for lunch; dinner was some of the groundbeef/vegetable mixture with rice.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Getting one bill more or less resolved
- Daughter making lunch
- Freshly baked sponge cake
- Time spent in the garden
- Getting through Monday!  :D

How was your Monday?

6 comments:

  1. Looks so yummy! I hope you are able to get that bill figured out and sorry about the stress.

    My Monday was good. The husband finally got the hot water heater fixed. I put up my Christmas tree. It isn't decorated yet, but with a little one you just kind of have to do what you can, when you can.

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    1. Jess, so glad you have the hot water heater fixed. I'm sure you will get that tree decorated over the next few days. Be prepared for some decorating and redecorating help from Little Wolf!

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  2. My goodness what a lot of bother you don't need, with those bills! I can imagine how stressful it has been. I hope you don't get any more of this nonsense.

    Your cake looks great, and I notice you were smart enough to line the pan, saving yourself the bother of stuck cake having to be cleaned up!

    My Monday was great because DH got home safely. It's funny, we woke up in the middle of the night and were chatting for 3/4 hour before falling asleep again!
    Bushlady.

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    1. Bushlady, so glad that your DH got home safely! No need to ask if you two missed each other. :)

      Yes, I've learned to line the baking pan! I greased it with the butter wrapper and the cake came out without any problem.

      As for the bills, it's just the beginning, I'm afraid!

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    2. Ah, you save butter wrappers, too! I got that trick from my mother and I bet you got it from your mother.
      Bushlady

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