Utility Bills - Natural Gas

Ah, finally, a post about something other than the state of my health!  LOL.  Inspired by my natural gas bill for August, which I received yesterday.

As some of you know, I keep track of various expenses as part of my monthly/annual budgeting.  I mostly post about my monthly grocery budget, but there are 16 main categories in my monthly budget; some with subcategories.

One of the main categories is Utilities, with the sub-categories of Water & Electricity (one bill, which also includes other municipal charges such as sewage and trash collection), Natural Gas, Telephone/Cell phone, Internet/Cable.

I get the water and electricity bill once every two months, but I average out the bills to come up with a monthly amount (of $150/month) for budgeting purposes.

The natural gas bill is received monthly.

I use natural gas for heating, cooking, the clothes dryer, and water heater.  My bills vary with use, of course, with a sharp increase during the colder months, since I like to keep the house toasty warm.  

But I average the previous year's bills and use that average for my monthly budgeting purposes, carrying over any surplus from the summer months to pay the higher winter bills.

I used to budget $65/month for gas, but increased prices and being home more due to working from home after the cancer treatments began (ah, I can't really keep the health factors from creeping in to my posts, can I?), I found myself using more gas, especially for heating during the winter.  As a result, based on the previous year's bills, I have been budgeting $100/month for natural gas.
 

I just received my August natural gas bill and I thought I should do a mid-year (sort of) check, looking at a year's worth of bills, from August 2016 to August 2017:

Monthly Natural Gas Bills – August 2016 to August 2017
August 2016	$16.69
September 2016	$19.78
October 2016	$26.14
November 2016	$33.10
December 2016	$161.59
January 2017	$250.78
February 2017	$185.03
March 2017	$153.43
April 2017	$64.57
May 2017	$55.44
June 2017	$29.47
July 2017	$17.67
August 2017	$15.85
Total Spent	$1,029.54
Monthly Average	$85.79

I've budgeted $100/month (or $1,200/year) for the natural gas and my averaged monthly gas bills have amounted to approximately $86/month (or $1,032/year).  Looks good, right?  I've a balance of $168 in the account!

If I was to look at only 2017's budget, at $100/month, I would have $800 budgeted, till August.  Adding up only the bill amounts from January 2017 to August 2017, the bills have amounted to a total of $772.24.  Still looking good!

However, this type of budgeting only works if one carries over the balances from one year to another.  If I was starting out January with just $100 in the budget for the natural gas bill and receive a $250 bill, then, obviously, I will be $150 in the red, right from the start!  And that deficit will continue, and even grow worse, from month to month for the first several months of the year - until the incoming monthly bills go down in the summer months.  Until August, actually, as one can see from the table below, which uses last year's bills (shown within brackets) to estimate the bills for the rest of the year!

Month	Budgeted Amount	Billed Amount	Balance
January	$100	$250.78	-150.78
February	$100	$185.03	-235.81
March	$100	$153.43	-289.24
April	$100	$64.57	-253.81
May	$100	$55.44	-209.25
June	$100	$29.47	-138.72
July	$100	$17.67	-56.39
August	$100	$15.85	27.76
September	$100	($19.78)	(101.62)
October	$100	($26.14)	(175.48)
November	$100	($33.10)	(242.38)
December	$100	($161.59)	(180.79)
Totals	$1,200	$1,012.85*	$180.79

* assuming the rest of this year's bills are the same as last year's bills 

Assuming the rest of this year's bills will remain the same as last year's bills for those months, I should be able to end the year with almost $181 which I will carry over to January 2018, to which I will add another $100 to January's budget, which will give me almost $281 in the budget with which to pay January 2018's bill.  I might be in the red, again, next February, but I don't think I'll have quite as high a bill next February because I won't need to heat the house as much during the day as I would be at the office. 

Once again, I am well aware that this type of budgeting can only work if one has enough of a cushion in one's account to absorb those higher bills at the beginning of the year.  It can be a bit misleading, but I like it in that it allows me to budget a certain set amount, each month, and it all averages out over the year.

My natural gas company sends me a weekly bill tracker email, showing my current gas bill amount (since the date of the last billing), the number of days since the last billing date, the number of days till the next billing date, and the estimated amount of the bill based on my gas usage history.  They also include the previous month's bill amount and the amount of the bill for that month in the previous year.  For example, in the last week's bill tracker, the previous month's bill (for July 2017) was $17.67 and the bill amount for the "same month last year" was $17.33.  Technically, I can use that bill tracking system to modify my usage, if necessary, especially if I feel I will go over my budgeted amounts.  

I can also lower my summer natural gas bill by turning off the pilot light for my space heater.  But I like the convenience of being able to turn on the heater at a moment's notice, if there is a sudden cold spell, without having to wait until someone from the gas company can come out to relight the flame, etc.  And, of course, I could economize more in the winter by setting the thermostat lower, improving insulation, bundling up, etc.  But, a warm house in the winter is my one indulgence.  I will happily forego the air conditioning in the summer, but I want a warm house in the winter, especially since I tend to feel cold, quite easily.  I consistently go over the 1st tier/recommended level of gas usage in the winter.  I am well aware that I am blessed to be able to do so.

I am using my natural gas bill as an illustration, but this is really how I budget for most of the categories on my monthly budget.

Do you use natural gas for heating, cooking, etc.?  How do you set up your monthly budget?  What is your indulgence?

Root Canal Thursday

Thursday was the day when my root canal was completed.

 

My day got off to a relatively early start when my aunt's phone call woke me up around 7:00 a.m.  She and my cousin are back from France.  She said she and cousin wanted to visit me tonight but I reminded her that I had my dental appointment and root canal, today; we agreed that it would be better if they visited on Friday evening, instead. 

Today, I swept and mopped the kitchen floor, right after I had my morning tea!  Then, I went to the office.  I didn't go to the farmers market, today, and I left the office at 2:30 p.m.  I came home at 3:30 p.m and I had 15 minutes before I needed to leave for my dental appointment.  I called my sister to find out the plans for Saturday (her daughter is coming down this weekend and wanted to see me); we agreed we'll meet for lunch at an Indian restaurant close to my house, as she didn't want me to drive out to her neighborhood by myself (she lives more than an hour's drive away).  I appreciate her consideration.

Then, I went to the dental appointment.  It went OK, but it took almost 2 hours!  This time, everyone made sure to ask me how I was doing, every so often!  I guess they were worried I might have another crying fit! The root canal was completed, but I was in pain, afterwards.  I made the next appointment, for the last tooth extraction, for September.

 

I stopped by the small Armenian grocery store, in the same strip mall as the dental clinic, to buy more of their bread, grapes, and blackberries.

 

August 18 Groceries

I bought:

1 loaf bread = $1.50

grapes @$.99/lb = $1.49

12 oz. blackberries = $.99

Total = $3.98

Amount spent on groceries in August = $19.25 + $3.98 = $23.23

 

When I came home, I was greeted by this little guy who was hanging out on my wall:

 

Garden Lizzard

He was shy - as soon as I took the picture, he ran behind the euphorbia plant that is barely visible in the picture and hid from me!

 

I took one of the prescription strength ibuprofen, spoke on the phone with my daughter who called, and with my aunt who called to check on me, and took a nap for 2 1/2 hours, while I waited for the ibuprofen to kick in!

 

Later,  I was able to eat some of the bread with fish curry, a banana and grapes for my dinner.  Still later, I had a video chat with my daughter. 

 

Today, I am grateful for:

- Aunt and cousin returned safely from their trip

- My root canal has been completed

- Prescription strength ibuprofen

- Naps on the sofa

- My favorite bread

 

 

Thursday's To Do List:
- Go to the office - DONE
- Dental appointment - DONE
- Water the front garden - Friday
- Call my sister - DONE
- Maybe go to the pharmacy (if dentist prescribes additional antibiotics) - Didn't need to
- Tidy the house a bit - Swept and mopped the kitchen 

Friday's To Do List:

- Water the front garden

- Tidy and clean the house

- Have gardener friend mow back yard and fix sprinkler head

- Finish the On the Road to the Mountain quilt 

- Visit with aunt and cousin in the evening.

How was your Thursday?

A Couple of Busy Days

I love nothing better than spending days sewing, but when I do, everything else seem to pile up!  I am looking around my house as I type this and I know I need to spend some time tidying and cleaning!

Yesterday, I worked from home.  Afterwards, I put gas to the car ($2.75/gal; I put just over 10 gallons).  Then, went across the street to the grocery store and bought cat food ($6.99/bag with $2 off coupon), a birthday card ($1.00), a pint of milk ($.99) and bananas ($.59/lb = $.91).  Canned tuna was on sale for $.50/can and I wanted to buy some, but it was the last day of the sale and they were all out of stock.  However, the cashier gave me a rain check good for 10 cans.  I will buy the full amount, later this week.

I didn't take pictures of the groceries or do a separate grocery post because, well, when you spend under $2 on groceries, that's hardly worth mentioning, is it?  So far in August, I've gone grocery shopping four times, as follows:



8/1 = $2.81 (bread and grapes)
8/8 = $6.59 (bread, bananas, lettuce, cold cuts)
8/13 = $7.95 (bread, beef chuck steak, ice cream)
8/15 = $1.90 (milk, bananas)
Amount spent on groceries in August = $19.25
August grocery budget = $75 + $7 carried over from July = $82.00

After I came home and put away the groceries and cat food, I wrote out the birthday card, wrapped up the gifts I had bought earlier, picked a grocery bag of curry leaf sprigs, and went over to my friend's house to wish her daughter a happy birthday and to give the curry leaves to my friend.  I declined dinner, but my friend served my dinner into a container to bring home, anyway:

Rice and Curries

Rice, fish curry, mutton curry, water spinach, bitter melon, and green beans.  I had some last night, tonight, and there's enough for tomorrow, as well!  Everything tasted very good, except for the bitter melon, of course, which just tasted bitter! 

Today, I went to the office.  During my lunch break, I called the surgeon's office and left a message asking if I should do a biopsy; will wait and see what he has to say.  After I came home, I did a load of laundry (bath mats, etc.), commented on blogs, video chatted with my daughter, cut a few more pieces of fabric for the mountain climbing quilt, and called my brother's wife.  My brother suffered a set back on Monday - he's back in the ICU.  Poor sister-in-law sounded really stressed.  One of my friends phoned and I had a nice chat with her.

Daughter's conference ended today and she found some time to visit the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis campus, see the Stone Bridge, and visit the Mall of America, before her flight back.  She had a safe flight back and got to her apartment around 6:30 p.m.  She really enjoyed her trip, she said.

Today, I am grateful for:
- My friend's generosity
- My brother receiving all the medical care he needs
- My friend's phone call
- Rain checks
- My daughter had a safe trip and a safe flight home


Thursday's To Do List:
- Go to the office
- Dental appointment
- Water the front garden
- Call my sister
- Maybe go to the pharmacy (if dentist prescribes additional antibiotics)
- Tidy the house a bit

All depends on how I feel after the dental work, of course. 

How was your day?

Mile-a-Minute Quilt: On the Road to the Mountain

Sometime back, in 2015, I believe, I started sewing a quilt using a type of patchwork known as "mile-a-minute".  Basically, it was sewing an assortment of scraps to each other until one has made a big enough piece of pieced fabric to cut out a block of a preferred size.  These blocks are then sewn together to form the quilt top that is very similar to a crazy quilt.  It is called "mile a minute" because it was supposed to be a very quick way to piece a quilt top, although I didn't find it to be all that quick, myself.  But, I figured it was a good way to use up some of the scraps I had accumulated - the pieces of fabric that were too small and odd shaped to be used in other quilts but which I was loathe to toss because, well, tossing fabric is just not something I can bear to do!

I spent several days sewing blocks of scraps together.  My two bottomless baskets of scraps were plonked on the big dining table, along with my sewing machine, cutting mat and box of thread and I set up the iron and the ironing board next to my table, as each time a piece of fabric was sewn on, it needed to be ironed out before sewing the next piece to it (and this is where I found it to be most time consuming - as a rule, I rarely iron each and every time I sew a seam!).  Soon, the fabric scraps overflowed the baskets and onto the table top as I pulled out different scraps, and some spilled to the floor!  A much delighted Dancer, who was, of course, ever ready to lend a helping paw, would rearrange the piles of scraps and take naps on top of them, etc.  The whole place resembled one big MESS, but Dancer and I spent many happy hours, sewing.

Then, I put it aside for some reason.  I don't quite know why - most probably, I needed to tidy up the table for some reason.  The pieces I patched became yet nother "work in progress".  I mentioned it in a post on Works in Progress in February, 2016.

Mile-a-Minute Quilt Blocks

When Bushlady likened my cancer treatment to climbing a mountain, I decided to make a quilt I called my Mountain Climbing Quilt.  And I decided to incorporate the already in progress Mile-a-Minute quilt patches into the Mountain Climbing quilt, because, although I knew what I wanted that mountain to represent, I couldn't quite focus on it at the time.  On any given day, I could only focus on the steps I had to climb that day - the hour-long drive to the clinic, the 3-4 hours long chemo treatments which stretched longer, sometimes, due to the waiting time at the clinic, the drive back, the repeat visits on subsequent days for injections and hydration treatments, the nausea, the lack of appetite, the trips to the lab for blood work, the need to depend on others because I was unable to do certain things, etc.  All I could manage was mindless piecing of scraps of fabric to make 6 inch blocks which I attached with strips of solid colored fabric to each other to form long rows.  So, that's what I did, until I had pieced 96 blocks which I proceeded to sew into 8 rows of 12 blocks each.

Eventually, I began to sew the mountain.  In my mind, the way I had envisioned it, I had a quilt with a central panel containing the mountain and the mile-a-minute blocks surrounding it.  But, quilts evolve as they grow, piece by piece, block by block.  At least, my quilts do.  What I had envisioned was not working out the way I had planned.  The mile-a-minute blocks didn't really go with the mountain quilt block!  They demanded to be featured in a quilt of their own!  That's right, it was going to be not one but TWO quilts!

I have been working on both quilts these past couple of weeks!  Both tops are more or less completed, but I have to attach the final borders and buy the quilt batting and back and bind them.  But, in the meantime, I want to share the Mile-a-Minute quilt top:

Mile-a-Minute Quilt Top

I am calling it "On the Road to the Mountain"!

Another View

Dancer has given it his seal of approval, while it was still in progress, before all the rows were sewn together:

Dancer Approved!

Every single scrap is what I had in my stash!  Including the purple used in the setting; there's just enough of the purple fabric to put a border on the top and bottom.  All the thread is also what I had on hand - some of it was from my mother's thread collection!  I have a purple bed sheet that was given to me, that I might use for the backing (because purple is my color, as you know).  All I really need to buy for this quilt is the batting.  Unless I decide to use the blanket I have on my bed, already.  It is a twin/full blanket which just covers the top of my queen size bed, but that is just how big the quilt top is, right now.
 

Monday: Appointment with the Surgeon

Yesterday, Monday, I had an appointment with the surgeon.  It went just about as well as I had expected it to, which really isn't saying much!  The appointment was made for me by the oncologist's office.  I assume they didn't tell the surgeon's office of the reason for the visit and, apparently, the surgeon's office staff doesn't believe in pulling up patients' charts and reports prior to the appointment for the surgeon to review.  At least, not until the patient actually shows up at the appointed time, and even then, the file probably contained only the basic information, because, apparently, the file didn't include a copy of my ultrasound and mammogram results! 

Because, when the surgeon came in to see me, he asked me if this was a routine, follow-up visit, and I had to update him about the lump I felt, the ultrasound and mammogram results, etc.  Sigh.  I told him I had copies of the results with me and he asked me to give them to the receptionists to make copies for his files. 

Anyway, he examined me and gave me his opinion without the benefit of, or being biased by, the scan results!  LOL. He thought he felt more than one cyst, he thought it felt more like a thickening of the tissue, maybe even a clogging of a blood vessel, and that it was in the skin layer; he didn't think it was cancer, though.  He said he could remove it if I wanted and it could probably be done during an office visit, but he said, if it didn't bother me, to leave it in place because, due to the radiation treatment, any incision he might make will take a long time, from several weeks to several months, to heal!  Well, the cyst doesn't hurt me or anything and, as long as we are sure it is not cancer, it doesn't bother me, so I decided to leave it in place!  What I don't need, at this point, is another wound that won't heal for several weeks or months!

He, too, remarked on the redness and swelling and said it was due to the damage from the radiation.  He said my body was trying to heal and repair itself and there were a lot of new blood vessels as a result.  I assured him it looked worse, earlier (it is, after all, almost one year since the radiation was completed).

Anyway, I have an appointment to see him again, in two months.  I know his office staff made copies of my scan results from my copies.  What I don't have is a copy of the actual mammogram results, only the letter I received stating that the results were normal.  I shall be sure to request a copy of that, if there is one, when I go to see the oncologist, at the end of this month.  I shall also update the oncologist on my visit with the surgeon.

I felt physically and emotionally drained after my visit to the surgeon.  So, I just came home and rested and sewed.  In between, however, I replaced a burnt out light bulb in the family room ceiling fan light fixture, watered the indoor plants, cleaned out the fridge, took the trash and recycling cans to the curb, put water to the back garden, put away a load of laundry, and tidied one shelf in the linen cupboard, the shelf with the towels.

Tidied Shelf with Towels

I plan to do the shelf with the bed sheets and pillowcases, next.

Later in the evening, cousin P called to find out how I was; I was glad to hear that she was able to get a ride to the funeral with our other cousins, after all, on Saturday.  She said she left her house before 11:00 a.m. and didn't get back till after 8:30 p.m., as they attended mass, the burial, and the reception, afterwards!

Still later, in the night, daughter texted me and we spoke on the phone to say goodnight.  She said she had a full day of conferences/workshops, but later, she did a bit of sightseeing with her colleague who is attending the conference with her and they went out to dinner. 

Yesterday, I was grateful for:
- A good visit with the surgeon
- Having the foresight to bring copies of my scan results reports with me!
- A safe drive to and from the clinic
- A cooler day (only in the 80s!)
- Daughter is enjoying her trip

How was your Monday?

Sunday

When one doesn't have a design wall and spreads the quilt-in-progress on the bed, and there is a resident cat, this is what happens:

First, there is a blur:

The Blur

There is much rolling around and squirming and then, the blur resolves itself into Helpful Designer Kitty:

Dancer Helps with the Quilt

Then, he proceeded to take a nap on the quilt top and, of course, I didn't have the heart to pull the quilt top from under him! 

I spent most of the day sewing my quilt.   The top is almost done, except for the final borders.  I need to buy the quilt batting and figure out what I am going to use for the backing.  I usually use a bed sheet or a single piece of fabric for the backing, but I am thinking a pieced backing might be another way of using up the stash! 

In between sewing, I did a load of laundry, washed the dishes, cooked the beef I bought yesterday, cleaned the kitchen a bit, cleaned the litter box, spoke on the phone with my neighbor T (our weekly Sunday morning chat), and watched TV.  I also called my friend S and left a message.

Today, daughter left for Minnesota for a three-day work-related conference.  She called me before she left her apartment; she was flying out from San Francisco and had to leave her apartment before 9:00 a.m. to get to the airport on time.  She called me when she got to the airport and, again, when she boarded the plane.  I turned on the altar light once I knew she had boarded the plane.  It was a five hour flight; she arrived in Minneapolis at 5:00 p.m. our time which was 7:00 p.m. their time.  She found her way from the airport to the hotel and texted me to let me know she arrived safely and I turned off the altar light.  She's sharing the hotel room with a colleague, so we are not video chatting tonight, for the first time since she moved away, 3 years ago!  She went out to dinner with her colleague and called me to wish me a goodnight.  She was happy she was able to watch an in-flight movie and has already picked out the movie she wants to watch on the flight back! 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Daughter had a safe flight to Minneapolis
- She was able to watch an in-flight movie
- She was able to find her way from the airport to the hotel
- Weekly phone calls from neighbor T
- Being able to spend most of the day, sewing

Tomorrow, I have my appointment with the surgeon.  I am hoping I'd be able to make a trip to the fabric store for quilt batting, either before I go to the appointment or after.  

How was your Sunday?

Hot Water and Patchwork

Quilt in Progress

This morning, quite early, I went to Home Depot to look at water heaters.  One of the sales persons pointed out one that met my specifications (40 gallons, natural gas heater, etc.).  Then, I went home and waited for my neighbor.  Neighbor came over a short while later and told me that he, too, had been to Home Depot, earlier in the morning to get an idea of what they had and prices.  We agreed to meet at the store in half an hour or so.  I showed him the one I had picked out earlier, he agreed it would be OK, and he also picked out two new flexible pipes for the fittings.  Then, I paid for everything (water heater cost $535, the two pipes were $25 each; the total, with tax, came to $615.01) and neighbor loaded the tank into his van and brought it over to my house.   Then, neighbor proceeded to remove the old heater and install the new one.  It took him about 3 hours.  The new heater is bigger around than the old one was, but it still fitted into the little metal storage structure.  And now, I have hot water on tap, again!  Neighbor also reattached the handle to my sliding glass door as that had come loose (I had tried to fix it, but he wasn't happy with my efforts!)  Before he left, I paid him something for installing the water heater for me. 

In the afternoon, I rested a bit; then went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication refills.  Then, I stopped at the grocery store for some bread ($.87), a piece of beef chuck steak ($3.59 @ $4.99/lb), and a container of ice cream ($3.49); I didn't take any pictures, but my total came to $7.95.

After I came home, I cleaned the bathroom, took a warm shower (just enough hot water to take away the chill of the cold water), watched news, had a cup of tea, did some sewing, and chatted on the phone with one of my friends who called.

Later, I video chatted with daughter.   She has to attend a 3-day conference in Minnesota for her work.  She will be leaving tomorrow morning and returning on Wednesday night.   One of her friends has sent a package, addressed to both of us, from Hawaii (her home state).  Daughter wanted me to wait until she comes home next to open it, so I put it aside until then. 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Helpful neighbors
- Hot water on tap!
- Warm showers!
- My prescription refills were ready without any drama!
- Playing with fabric.

Tomorrow, I have to do the dishes, do a load of laundry, cook the beef I bought, and call another friend to see if she'll be home so I can drop off a gift for her daughter who just celebrated her birthday. 

How was your Saturday?